Letter to the Congregation May 2013.
Bill Armstrong
May is the month in which the Church of Scotland meets in General Assembly. One of the awkward issues that will engage the minds of Commissioners this year will be that of ‘gay’ clergy, a matter that has been festering for quite a time. The time for reflection and discussion is over and the Assembly is expected to vote on the issue this year. What the outcome will be remains to be seen; but there have been moves by a few congregations to pre-empt the decision and leave the Church of Scotland.
Down through the years the Church has had to confront many issues that have caused division, most notably the Disruption of 1843 – 170 years ago – when about a third of the clergy and congregations walked out of the General Assembly of that year to form the Free Church of Scotland in protest over what they regarded as moves by the state to appoint ministers and control the operation of the courts of the Church. Thankfully, by 1929, the Presbytery family, with a few exceptions, came together again.
Why is it that the Church has the habit of getting itself into a fankle?
Divisions have been caused by emphasis on what may now appear to be trivial points of doctrine. It may well be that in this modern age previously unheard of issues leave the Church in a quandary. The Church is often caught in two minds as to how to react in awkward situations.
The underlying issue is belief in the inerrancy of scripture. For some there are straight answers to difficult questions; for others, different interpretations are furthered in defence of matters that may not be as straightforward as we had imagined.
The issue of ‘assisted suicide’, for example, raised its head again fairly recently. A man who is wheel-chair bound, who can do little for himself, wants to be relieved finally of his condition. Life is precious; and for my part I hope I will be able to stay in this world for as long as possible. But how would we cope in similar circumstances?
From childhood memories, life was uncluttered and uncomplicated. There appeared to be a general acceptance of life as it was, or had become. There never seemed to be awkward questions. It is as we have grown older that our world is not as ‘black and white’ as we would like it to be.
As for the General Assembly, the Commissioners face questions for which there may be no easy answers. We can pray that they will be led by the Holy Spirit to do what is God’s will in any and every situation.
God bless you all,
Bill Armstrong
Down through the years the Church has had to confront many issues that have caused division, most notably the Disruption of 1843 – 170 years ago – when about a third of the clergy and congregations walked out of the General Assembly of that year to form the Free Church of Scotland in protest over what they regarded as moves by the state to appoint ministers and control the operation of the courts of the Church. Thankfully, by 1929, the Presbytery family, with a few exceptions, came together again.
Why is it that the Church has the habit of getting itself into a fankle?
Divisions have been caused by emphasis on what may now appear to be trivial points of doctrine. It may well be that in this modern age previously unheard of issues leave the Church in a quandary. The Church is often caught in two minds as to how to react in awkward situations.
The underlying issue is belief in the inerrancy of scripture. For some there are straight answers to difficult questions; for others, different interpretations are furthered in defence of matters that may not be as straightforward as we had imagined.
The issue of ‘assisted suicide’, for example, raised its head again fairly recently. A man who is wheel-chair bound, who can do little for himself, wants to be relieved finally of his condition. Life is precious; and for my part I hope I will be able to stay in this world for as long as possible. But how would we cope in similar circumstances?
From childhood memories, life was uncluttered and uncomplicated. There appeared to be a general acceptance of life as it was, or had become. There never seemed to be awkward questions. It is as we have grown older that our world is not as ‘black and white’ as we would like it to be.
As for the General Assembly, the Commissioners face questions for which there may be no easy answers. We can pray that they will be led by the Holy Spirit to do what is God’s will in any and every situation.
God bless you all,
Bill Armstrong
