Evangelicals warn of 'battle for Church's soul' in gay row

Published on Thursday 24 March 2005 01:21

THE Scottish Episcopal Church was in turmoil last night after evangelicals struck out at their bishops’ decision to declare that practising homosexuals are eligible for ordination.

The announcement is already expected to incur the wrath of African and Asian churches within the Anglican Communion, but now serious dissent has emerged at home.

The evangelical wing of the Scottish Episcopal Church has vowed to make the June synod a battle for the soul of the Church, as it believes the College of Bishops’ statement contradicts what it sees as the Bible’s prohibition on homosexual acts.

Although the evangelical wing is a minority, it includes some of the best-attended churches. It believes the bishops’ statement will jeopardise ecumenical work with other Scottish churches, could hasten eviction from the Anglican Communion and has raised the possibility of schism within the Scottish Episcopal Church.

The Rev David McCarthy, the rector of St Silas’ Church in Glasgow, said yesterday the bishops’ statement contradicted biblical teachings, adding: "It will not be us that causes schism, it will be the bishops. This statement is leading to confusion among our congregations."

The Episcopal Church’s statement said that being gay and non-celibate is not a bar to being a priest, as long as a stable and long-term relationship can be demonstrated. This means that the Church is adopting a far more liberal stance than the Church of England, where homosexuals can be ordained only if they remain celibate.

The statement is seen as support for the Episcopal Church of North America, whose decision to ordain a practising gay man, Gene Robinson, as the bishop of New Hampshire resulted in the Church being asked to withdraw from the Anglican Consultative Council for the next three years.