Bashing the Bishop
When the debate on secularism reaches Scotland it centres not on the question of Islam but that of Christianity. In particular the continuing power of both the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church in Scottish life. State funded catholic schools are very common right across Scotland and the official state religion of the CoS dominates in the rest.
It has been disturbing to see sections of the church enter political debate recently. In particular they have attempted to make abortion a general election issue. We also had Bishop Joseph Devine ranting against gay teachers when launching "A Charter for Catholic Schools" saying "Being homosexual would not at all be compatible with the charter. It would cut across the whole moral vision enshrined in the charter. It would be offering a lifestyle that is incompatible with Catholic social teaching."
So it is refreshing to see the Scottish Episcopal Church give the go ahead for gay clergy.
In a statement on their website they write:
"The Scottish Episcopal Church has never regarded the fact that someone was in a close relationship with a member of the same sex as in itself constituting a bar to the exercise of an ordained ministry. Indeed, the Windsor Report itself in suggesting that a moratorium be placed on such persons being consecrated bishops, itself acknowledges the existence of many such relationships within the Church."
The churches all like to state their commitment to social justice, they should accept that part of this is equality and opposition to discrimination and hate crimes.
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