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Church of Scotland votes on gay ministers | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
The Church of Scotland has voted to allow the selection of gay and lesbian ministers in future, provided they have declared their sexuality and were ordained before 2009. | |
The controversial issue is being debated at the Kirk's General Assembly. | |
The Kirk is continuing to debate whether gay people should be allowed to become new members of the clergy. | |
Two years ago, the Reverend Scott Rennie's appointment threatened to split the Church. | |
At the General Assembly, commissioners were being asked whether to continue an indefinite ban on the ordination of gay ministers until a report next year. | |
Another option was to lift the ban but await a separate report which would be published in two years. | |
One in five members of Kirk sessions have said they would leave if it was agreed that gay ministers can be ordained, while one in 10 have said they would leave if the Kirk ruled they could not be ordained. | |
Dr Bill Naphy, from Aberdeen University, warned that it was a "very divisive issue" but said he believed the Church of Scotland faced losing whole congregations if it approved the ordinations. | Dr Bill Naphy, from Aberdeen University, warned that it was a "very divisive issue" but said he believed the Church of Scotland faced losing whole congregations if it approved the ordinations. |
The subject hit the headlines two years ago as traditionalist members attempted to block Mr Rennie's appointment. | The subject hit the headlines two years ago as traditionalist members attempted to block Mr Rennie's appointment. |
Following a lengthy debate, the Assembly ultimately voted in support of the Aberdeen-based minister but called for a commission to study the general issue "for the sake of the peace and unity of the Church". | Following a lengthy debate, the Assembly ultimately voted in support of the Aberdeen-based minister but called for a commission to study the general issue "for the sake of the peace and unity of the Church". |