Church of Scotland votes to apologise to gay people for discrimination

General Assembly - Image credit: Church of Scotland

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has voted to apologise to gay people for discrimination they have faced in the church.

Commissioners agreed that the Kirk should apologise “individually, corporately and seek to do better.”

They also approved a report that might pave the way to allowing some ministers to conduct same sex marriages in the future.

Presenting the report on the issue to the assembly, Theological Forum convener, Very Rev Professor Iain Torrance, said: We say that after reflection we can see no sufficient theological reason for the Church now not to authorise specific ministers to officiate at same sex weddings, IF doing so does not prejudice the position of those who decline to do so for reasons of conscience.”

The General Assembly voted in favour of asking the church’s Legal Questions Committee to examine whether church law may be changed to allow some ministers to conduct same sex marriages without removing the legal protection for any minister to refuse to carry out same sex ceremonies as a matter of conscience.

A report of the committee’s findings will be presented to next year’s General Assembly for further discussion.

Speaking after the debate, Rev Scott Rennie, of Queen’s Cross Church in Aberdeen, who is in favour of the change, said he was “delighted” that the General Assembly had decided to pursue the issue.

He said: “There was a real feeling that we have to find space for everyone in the church and I hope it is not too many years before I am able to marry people of the same gender.”

But Rev Mike Goss, clerk of Angus Presbytery, who has been representing the evangelical wing of the church, said he and his colleagues were “frustrated” that the hurch was not coming together over the issue.

“Although there were things in the report that myself and friends felt could have been better expressed, it has not altered where things are with this debate,” he added.

“I hope that by having it today, we have highlighted that we do not feel that our position has been well reflected in the report itself and that will help the church know where we are coming from.”

However, Goss said he had “no difficulty apologising” to the gay community. “If I have caused hurt to other folk unintentionally then I am more than happy to do it,” he said.