Gay ministry hopeful pulls out of training

Published on Wednesday 16 September 2009 22:00

THE openly gay man at the centre of a row over a Kirk presbytery's decision to elect him to training for the ministry abandoned his application last night in an effort to prevent a split in the Church.

Dmitri Ross, who was put forward as a candidate for the ministry by the Presbytery of Hamilton, said he believed his withdrawal was in the best interests of the Church. If ordained, he would have been the first Church of Scotland minister in a civil partnership to be approved since a two-year moratorium on gay appointments was agreed at the General Assembly in May.

Last night, Mr Ross said: "I do not wish, and have never sought, to be a cause of division within the Church I love so dearly. Therefore, after much heartfelt deliberation, and after much prayerful consideration, I have decided to withdraw as a full-time Candidate in Training for Ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Church of Scotland."