This was to be a pivotal year for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. On the agenda was the much-anticipated report of the Theological Commission on Same-sex Relationships and the Ministry. The Scottish media was reporting that up to 60 congregations were considering leaving the denomination in the aftermath of the report.
Saturday began formally with the election of the Right Reverend Lorna Hood as moderator, and an address from the Lord High Commissioner, Lord Selkirk of Douglas. He acts as the royal representative to the Church of Scotland—Governor General to the GA, if you like—reflecting the Kirk’s position as the national church of Scotland, and the Queen’s position as a member of that church. This tradition is an ancient one and marks the fact that prior to the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, the General Assembly was the highest court in Scotland.
Sunday was a day of rest—complete with a festival in Princes Street Gardens. There was music, storytelling, workshops, and tents hosted by committees and congregations. I was impressed by one run by the Presbytery of Orkney. Looking to fill several clergy vacancies, they invited local tourist groups and businesses to join them in drumming up enthusiasm for the remote chain of islands. Cheese, fudge, and beautiful photos—and a line of collars engaged in conversation. Vacancy committees might be wise to take notes.
Debate began on Monday. For many years now, the Church of Scotland has been considering the place of homosexuality in the Kirk. The debate for this year asked if there is space to include ministers in committed same-sex relationships. The Theological Commission had received its remit in 2011—to consider the theological implications of all sides of this discussion—and this year, the Commission presented two opposing recommendations, leaving the decision in the hands of the General Assembly. I found the mood in the Assembly Hall extraordinary. Despite the diversity of strongly held opinions, there was a spirit of unity. Again and again, the phrase “a broad church” was repeated. It seemed that the Kirk felt a profound calling to remain united.
Former moderators—the Very Reverend John Cairns and the Very Revered Albert Bogle—made additional recommendations, hoping to bring to light new paths of unity. In the end, after much debate, the General Assembly decided on a compromise. The existing doctrine and practice of the Kirk will be upheld (excluding those in same-sex relationships from the ministry) but individual congregations will be given the freedom to call the minister of their own choosing. There will be more debate as to the legal and practical implications of this path next year, but for the meantime, this decision in effect upholds two very Presbyterian traditions: the independent right of the congregation to select their own minister and the strong communal emphasis on adherence to the authority of scripture. It was also a decision that reflected the Kirk’s calling to love and serve Christ in the larger community. Cairns later said, “Winning the argument is just not everything… The Church of Scotland is a humble church. It knows that its role is to be servants to a larger community than its members.”
Throughout the week, this united mood continued. Through debates on controversial pension reform, the situation in Israel and Palestine, and legal questions on the implications for the Church of Scotland of independence for Scotland following next year’s referendum, the Kirk demonstrated a strong calling to be united in Christ. It looked like sound, democratic work—debating and listening, and seeking ways forward rather than ways to defeat. It also looked like work of the Spirit, providing the church with the wide variety of gifts needed to serve in today’s context.
In her final morning reflection, Rt. Rev. Lorna Hood called on the commissioners to be “agents of hope.”
“We need to be the agents of that hope and we can do it not because of our gifts and talents and not because we believe the church is going in the direction we had hoped. We can be agents of hope because of the message, because of the story we have to tell, the message of God’s love as it comes to us in Jesus.”
