Gay marriages

It is difficult to see how your headline, “Gay marriages backed by Episcopal Church” (13 October), can in any way be justified by a fair reading of the article by our Primus, the Most Reverend David Chillingworth, “A Secular State Should be Prepared to Defend Religious Freedom”.

As the Primus makes clear in his article, the canons of the Scottish Episcopal Church state that marriage is “a physical, spiritual and mystical union of one man and one woman”. He defends the parliament’s right to legislate on the subject – but that is a wholly different question from whether the Scottish Episcopal Church would choose to alter its understanding of marriage.

The Primus’ article explains that the Church is in the course of considering the government’s consultation paper and you correctly report that we are “undecided” – in the sense of not yet having submitted a response. Our Faith and Order Board will do so by the end of the consultation period.

John F Stuart

Scottish Episcopal Church

Grosvenor Crescent

Edinburgh

Robert Anderson (Letters, 13 October) is wrong if he thinks that the Kirk is silent on the topic of homosexual marriage.

Furthermore, I find it quite strange that someone as vociferous as Dr Anderson should think that the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland should be seen as a special spokesperson for the mission statement of the Church of Scotland.  While I do not always agree with the comments made by Dr Anderson it is quite clear that his opinions should carry the same weight as those of the Moderator. Dr Anderson and many others within the Church are making important comments on this matter.

If Dr Anderson wishes to issue a statement affirming the value of marriage in general and of Christian marriage in particular then I am more than happy to support him in such a statement.  He may wish to express his particular concern when I then suggest that the Scottish Government might want to introduce a new Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act which deals with some of the concerns expressed by certain sections of society. 

He might even wish to disassociate himself from my suggestion that the Scottish Government might even wish to take up Dr Anderson’s terminology and create the Homosexual Marriage (Scotland) Act. The strength of the presbyterian church to which both Dr Anderson and I belong is that we can express and debate opposite or differing opinions on subjects such as this.

Sandy Gemmill

Warriston Gardens

Edinburgh

I was greatly moved by the “It gets better” video made for YouTube by Alex Salmond. His impressive vision for a Scotland in which life for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people continues to improve brings hope to all LGBT folk – not just the young people to whom it is addressed.

In view of his oft demonstrated pig-headed obstinacy in ignoring opposition and pushing ahead with unpopular and bad legislation just because he feels it is right, I am confident that he and his government will duly legislate for same-sex marriage in the teeth of opposition from the Roman Catholic hierarchy and other equally noxious defenders of a faith. In this case, he is right and I applaud him for it.

John Hein

ScotsGay Magazine

Montgmonery Street

Edinburgh