Saturday 27 July 2013

Post Gay Debate Happenings in the Church of Scotland

A press statement has been issued to the Kirk's magazine, "Life and Work", on a recent gathering of evangelical people within the Church: "New Evangelical Network", Life and Work, August 2013.  This brings the number of large evangelical groupings to a total of 3: The Crieff Fellowship (not strictly Church of Scotland but largely composed of C of S ministers and elders), Forward Together, a group formed to try and mobilise specifically Church of Scotland evangelical ministers for political action within the Kirk, and now, "The Church of Scotland Evangelical Network". The first group has no public profile, does not make press statements, does not see itself as being a locus for power games within the Kirk, and concentrates on being a "fellowship" which promulgates orthodox conservative Biblical teaching. The second however has more in common with the latest group, and leaves me wondering why we need a new group. Perhaps Forward Together had run out of steam, or did not see itself as a group who could unilaterally commit to "remain in the Church of Scotland". The new group does commit to that and to work for the Kirk's reformation and renewal, according to its press release. One of the authors of the release was the Rev Prof Andrew McGowan who was on the Theological Commission whose report on Gay Ministers came before the General Assembly in May.

It is warming to read that a network of 350 and presumably more, are committed to the Kirk's reformation and renewal. Their work will not be hard. At least two things make this sure.

The first is that the decision of the General Assembly to allow congregations so minded to call ministers who are in active gay relationships or are openly gay and not celibate, may well fall anyway as it proceeds down to Presbyteries under the Barrier Act of the Church of Scotland. There are many Presbyteries just waiting for the chance to gun this thing down. A little encouragement from the new network will be well received. Some of the ditherers in the bigger more liberal Presbyteries may likewise be affected by the new lobbyists. If the new Act makes it back to a subsequent General Assembly unscathed, it will be surprising. I think it will be a close run thing, but my money is on the Traditionalist point of view. This influence can therefore be said to favour the traditionalist wing.

The second factor is the decline in the numbers, wealth and influence of the Church of Scotland. Our time as a credible national church of Scotland is running out. We might see the century out if the numbers start to level off from the current decline. Increasingly the church will be reformed and renewed by external circumstances, or to put a more spiritual spin on it, by God using these circumstances. What this reformation will look like in terms of life and worship remains to be seen. Smaller, more flexible, more responsive to people's life patterns and commitments seem to be the key points of influence which most commentators agree on. These things will produce smaller levels of staff, more collegiate and team working over larger areas, more active involvement of voluntary lay people in taking services in homes, halls, and other alternative spaces. They will also change the way services happen and how they are conducted. There will be less control over the theological preferences of each small group. This influence will be neutral with regard to the traditionalist point of view. But it will be a massive influence for reformation and renewal, make no mistake.

Tuesday 2 July 2013

New Frontier Crossing

The frontier is the one between the ground and the air. Or perhaps it's the one between my comfort zone and what's outside it. Moving into this new landscape ranks among the scariest things I've ever done, or which have happened to me. Nevertheless, the rewards are very high, if you've ever watched eagles or buzzards or other similar birds soar on thermals with barely a beat of their wings, far above the ground. I've watched as para gliders moved across mountain precipices and hung over valleys thousands of feet in the air, and thought, "I'd love to do that too."  Well, I have now. And it was every bit as thrilling as I thought it would be. But of course it came with fears and doubts too. You worry that it won't work, you worry when you make a turn   that you will upset the fragile stability of your flight by introducing something new, or when you hit turbulence that something terrible will happen and you'll be pitched into free fall. It's as these things do happen and you become accustomed to them, that you begin to relax and enjoy. It does take a while though.
It made me appreciate anew the daunting effect of surveying an unknown frontier with a view to crossing it. I remembered my first visit to a prayer meeting! (Yes!)  It made me wonder about people who want to come to church, never having done so before, or those who are considering making the faith journey into Christianity. I also thought about the church moving from the safe areas of ancient points of view, into those new and risky places such as those to which the recent General Assembly of the Church of Scotland took a step closer. There are many who are unsure about this movement. But ultimately, it's a movement deeper into the landscape of grace, which actually always feels risky, because in the land of grace, we always relinquish control. Because I believe in the beauty and centrality of grace, I believe we will not founder as we go forward, hard though it might seem. A bit like flying really.