Church of Scotland agrees moratorium on gay debate

William Crawley
Monday, 25 May 2009

The Church of Scotland's supreme court has agreed to end public debate about homosexuality for a period of two years, while a special commission investigates the theological and legal issues surrounding the appointment of gay ministers within the church. The General Assembly has instructed all authoritative bodies within Scotland's national church to avoid any public comment on the matter -- including press releases, briefings to the media, and blogging -- and to avoid taking any decisions in relation to 'contentious matters of human sexuality, with respect to Ordination and Induction to the Ministry of the Church of Scotland, until 31 May 2011'. The Assembly also made it clear that the moratorium is not retrospective, and emphasized that its earlier decision to uphold the installation of a gay minister in Aberdeen stands. the rest