Kirk and Catholic Church strengthen ties

Published on Thursday 20 May 2010 23:09

THE Kirk and Scottish Catholic Church are enjoying improved relations, which members of the General Assembly consider to be the best in 20 years.

• Delegates arrive for the opening of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland at New College on the Mound, Edinburgh. Picture: Neil Hanna

The two faiths, historically divided along sectarian lines, have taken what the Kirk has described as "a monumental step in inter-church links" by creating a "joint-liturgy" for the reaffirmation of baptismal vows.

As a result, Scotland has the first Protestant church in the world to form such a bond with the Catholic Church. The two churches will also join together to mark the 450th anniversary of the Reformation later this year.

The Kirk's Committee on Ecumenical Relations, which fosters links with other churches, said such a document "could not have been written 20 years ago" and it was the fruit of long-term discussions, debates and the creation of "deep friendships" between the two bodies.

Former moderator and secretary of the committee the Very Rev Sheilagh Kesting said the agreement was a spur to greater bonds. "It takes us a whole step along a journey of agreement, and it puts pressure on us, because if we say 'we have a common understanding of baptism' and are able to renew our vows together, what does that say about our understanding of the Church and of Communion?"

Though the Kirk's relationship with the Catholic Church may be thriving, attempts to foster better relations with the Free Church of Scotland were seriously damaged last year by the controversy surrounding the appointment of openly gay minister Scott Rennie.

The Ecumenical Relations report said that, following meetings in September last year, talks between the two churches had stalled. However, Ms Kesting said the Kirk's relationship with the Catholic Church was strong enough to survive the controversy.

"At the official and local level, we are at a stage where there is really quite deep friendships between people and trust, and what that means is that, while there are some deep differences of opinion, it doesn't interrupt our relationship," she said.

"So when we come across difficult issues, such as some of the ethical issues that are around just now, they become part of the agenda that we discuss, rather than becoming blocks."

Ms Kesting said the decision to hold a joint ceremony in St Giles' Cathedral, in Edinburgh this year to mark the 450th anniversary of the Reformation – which saw the creation of the Presbyterian Church when it split from the Catholic Church – was a public statement of the strength of their relationship.

"I think that's a very important statement," she said.

"We're going to do it together, so that we can say very publicly we are not in the same position now that we were 450 years ago; that we can speak together about what happened at the Reformation; we can recognise the continuity of the pre-Reformation and post-Reformation Church and that whole journey through to the Scottish Renaissance. I think that is quite an important thing."

Ms Kesting said that the strengthening of connections was also part of the two churches' efforts to combat sectarianism.

However, the report acknowledges that there are "continuing divisions" between the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church.

Peter Kearney, a spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, said: "This is a significant and seminal moment in Scottish church history.

"While the emphasis in the Catholic Church is more about commemorating the event, rather than celebrating, it is still a moment in history that had an impact that must be debated and discussed.

"We should not be afraid to tackle it, and we very much want to be involved in the debate about what happened 450 years ago."

Mr Kearney said that, while there were differences between the two churches, worshippers from both denominations were "part of the body of Christ".

He added, in an increasingly secular world, Catholics and Protestants had more in common than what divides them.