Christianity Takes Another Step: The Church of Scotland Approves Gay Marriage

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By Alex Parker

The Church of Scotland has made a major change.

As reported by Christianity Today, on Monday, the Church’s General Assembly approved a measure related to same-sex couples and marriage. Courtesy of a 274-136 vote, parish ministers and deacons may now apply for authorization to preside over male-male and female-female weddings.

If you’re unfamiliar with the UK Presbyterian organization, its official website offers the following:

The Church of Scotland seeks to inspire the people of Scotland and beyond with the Good News of Jesus Christ through enthusiastic worshipping, witnessing, nurturing and serving communities.

The Church of Scotland is one of the largest organizations in the country. We have around 300,000 members, with more regularly involved in local congregations and our work. We have around 800 ministers serving in parishes and chaplaincies, supported by both centrally and locally employed staff.

Most of our parishes are in Scotland, but we also have churches in England, Europe and overseas. The Church of Scotland plays a pivotal role in Scottish society and works with communities worldwide.

The Church’s “identity was principally formed by John Knox in the Reformation of 1560. At that time, the Church split from the Roman Catholic Church and instead adopted the reformed tradition. The Church of Scotland is Calvinist Presbyterian.”

Furthermore:

[W]e recognize no head of faith other than the Lord God, and no one person or group within the Church has more influence than any other.

It adheres to “Five Marks of Mission”:

  • To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
  • To teach, baptize and nurture new believers
  • To respond to human need by loving service
  • To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation
  • To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth

According to Christianity Today, the “denomination is preparing new suggested liturgy to bless same-sex marriages as well as guidance for the change in church law.”

It seems to me the best way to judge any cultural force’s influence is to review its most traditionally-opposed arena. For example, to assess the depth of America’s softening, see if it’s impacted the military.

In order to measure social liberalism’s reach, evaluate whether it’s affected the rigidity of religion.

A study in change:

Christian Church Will Host Drag Show for Youth Ages 12-18

Lutheran Diocese Announces That the Church Itself Is Trans

Church Pastor Claims Jesus ‘Transgenders Himself’ in the Bible

Christian Church Leads Prayer to the ‘God of Pronouns,’ the ‘Great They/Them’ Who Breastfeeds

Divinity School Recites Prayer to the ‘Great Queer One,’ Who’s a ‘Drag Queen and Trans Man’

And most recently:

Iconic Baptist University Christens Its First LGBT Student Org

For a long time in the West, the Christian church fed culture; it seems a reversal of direction is underway.

Perhaps more than ever before, culture is our religion.

Back to the Church of Scotland, gay marriage opponent Mike Goss — a minister in the presbytery of Angus — said there remains a group firmly planted in dissent:

“The group of folk are called traditionalists, folk who stand by the Bible, we’re not going away. We’re still there.”

He also believes a conversation will continue:

“We are committed to ensuring that debates on this subject are held in a spirit of humility and grace, that the tone and tenor of discussions are civil and people are respectful of those who hold opposing views.”

That discussion won’t be as large as it once might’ve been. Per CT, “Faced with continued decline, the church has been reassessing its mission by considering new expressions of church and new approaches to engagement that involve restructuring its presbyteries.”

Back in 2002, 12 percent of the Scottish population attended Church of Scotland services; by 2016, it was 7 percent, according to the Scottish Church Census by UK-based Brierley Consultancy.

So goes a change that clearly isn’t limited to America.

As for the United States, perhaps our religion isn’t culture; it may be nothing at all…

-ALEX

Original Here
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