Tag: General Assembly

  • Some minor matters

    With all the focus on the issue of same-sex partnerships and ministry at the 2011 General Assembly, you could be forgiven for thinking that there was nothing else of any significance on the agenda. Far from it. Without wanting to downplay the importance of that discussion, there are matters before the Assembly on Wednesday and…

  • Is a trajectory enough?

    Today, at the Kirk’s General Assembly, a pretty hefty debate took place over the Kirk’s future direction in its relationship with partnered homosexuals in ordained leadership. Unfortunately, due to ‘real’ church business, I was unable to sit through the entire debate, but caught the gist of it and the key vote. The GA was presented…

  • Gagged or not?

    The minutes of Monday’s GA session are available online and the wording of the so-called ‘gagging clause’ read as follows: Instruct all Courts, Councils and Committees of the Church not to issue press statements or otherwise talk to the media or to make decisions in relation to contentious matters of human sexuality, with respect to…

  • A plea for words

    Does anyone have the definitive version of Dr McPake’s motion (as amended) from Saturday night at GA? I’ve seen so many variants of who can comment and who can’t and under what circumstances that I’d really like to see the actual words. My impression is that the ‘gagging order’ is aimed at the councils and…

  • Long grass

    To steal a phrase from my placement supervisor, the Church of Scotland has managed to kick the ball into the long grass again, but they’re running out of long grass. In a ‘compromise’ motion, which I suspect the Assembly was only too happy to go for, the Church will set up a special commission to…

  • That decision

    I’ve not had a chance to blog about Saturday night’s session at the General Assembly, but it can’t have escaped your notice that the Church of Scotland are inducting gay ministers. Unforunately, that story, and many others, are reporting a somewhat distorted view of what the session was all about. Stewart gives a fair summary…

  • More petition thoughts

    Warning: (some) sarcasm/irony ahead – read with discernment. I’m wondering if Lochcarron and Skye didn’t miss a trick with their overture. Or indeed, if those in Aberdeen presbytery didn’t miss the same trick. Rather than re-ignite the homosexuality debate, perhaps it would have been much safer ground to oppose Rev Scott Rennie’s appointment on the…

  • GA09 and petitions

    It can’t have escaped your attention that there’s a serious row brewing for this year’s General Assembly. It concerns the Rev. Scott Rennie, an openly gay minister living with his partner. He has been called by a congregation inĀ  Aberdeen. Pesbytery have upheld the call, but a significant minority raised an official objection and the…