Stop meddling in Kirk's gay minister row, Wee Frees told

Published on Sunday 10 May 2009 23:15

THE Free Church of Scotland has become embroiled in the controversy surrounding the appointment of an openly gay Church of Scotland minister.

It has been revealed that a link to an online petition against the appointing of Rev Scott Rennie to Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen has been posted on the Free Church's official website.

That move has drawn criticism from within the Kirk, with the accusation that the Free Church was interfering in its private business.

The controversial appointment is due to be debated and voted on at the General Assembly later this month.

Iver Martin, who posted the link and is a spokesman for the Free Church of Scotland, said the issue had become a wider question of morality. "I can understand the concern (by Kirk members], and if this had been a purely disciplinary issue, it would be a private issue and a matter solely for the Church of Scotland," he said.

"But my understanding is the gentleman in question has made his views widely known and made it a matter of principle.

"This has become a question of whether openly homosexual practice should be given the blessing of the church. That's the root of this issue."

Mr Martin also denied that placing the link on the website was an official sanction of the petition, claiming instead he was offering Free Church members the opportunity to voice their concerns on an important issue. So far, 700 members of the church have placed their signature on the website.

Mr Martin stressed, however, that the Free Church was not being homophobic, stating that it was "a question of morality".

The Rev Peter Johnston, spokesman for One Kirk, which supports gay rights within the church, described the Free Church's involvement as "unhelpful".

He said: "This is a case that is being taken to the General Assembly, so the whole petition is meddling in a judicial case belonging to the Church of Scotland. Supporting and encouraging people (to sign it] would seem to rather be a step in that direction.

"We as a church need space to talk this through without pressure (from other churches] to conform with what they believe and what their interpretation of scripture is."

Mr Johnston said the Free Church's involvement in the case was "ironic". He added: "The whole reason the Free Church was formed was over freedom of religious conscience, the right of congregations to call their own ministers, and yet here we are, we have the Free Church trying to impose their own will on the Church of Scotland."

But a One Kirk insider admitted Mr Rennie had not helped his cause by speaking out so forthrightly and had supplied critics of his appointment "with more mud to fling at him".