Church Minister in Same-Sex Partnership

THE female minister of a rural Scottish church has shocked her congregation by 'marrying' another woman.

The Rev Eleanor Muir told parishioners on Sunday morning that she had entered into a civil partnership.

But while admitting that same sex-relationships in the Kirk are 'topical' - the issue of gay clergy threatens to cause a schism in the Church of Scotland - she will not talk about her relationship.  'It is a private matter and I don't have anything to say at this stage,' she said. 'The congregation have " been enormously supportive.'

Miss Muir is minister of St Bean's church at Fowlis Wester, Perthshire, which dates back seven centuries, and previously worked on the Isle of Barra.

She came to Fowlis Wester, six miles west of Crieff, just over two years ago. It was widely known that she lived in the manse with another woman, though some locals said they assumed the couple were friends.

Perth and Kinross Conservative councillor Ann Cowan, who lives across the "road from the kirk in Fowlis Wester and was recently married by Miss Muir, said: 'I am personally very understanding of her situation. It is causing debate, but I am not going to condemn her.'

SOURCE:  Scottish Daily Mail, 13th Oct 2011.

COMMENT

The moral decline within the established church in Scotland, being presbyterian in government and the sister church of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI), is progressing at breath-taking speed.  This moral decline can be linked to the theological and spiritual decline within that denomination for many decades. 

For the church of Scotland, or indeed any church, to accept as normal what Scripture clearly condemns, ought to come as no surprise to any biblically knowledgeable Christian.  Paul teaches in Rom.1:18 that godlessness is the source of all unrighteousness, and where unrighteousness is not only tolerated but accepted as biblical, the only conclusion is that godlessness has pervaded the church.  The Church of Ireland (Anglican, or Hibernian)  has already accepted a civil partnership amongst its clergy, and the Presbyterian church in Ireland may not be too far away from a similar policy/practice.

The point is that where theological liberalism is the doorway through which most, if not all, perversions enter the church, and reformed evangelicals within those churches that are accepting of theological liberalism, need not pretend surprise at recent developments.  One  senior PCI minister told me that his church will not accept same-sex marriages within the clergy, but I'm not so sure about that, and for this reason.  Where theological liberalism is accepted as a valid expression of biblical religion, and given the spinelessness of reformed evangelicals within that church to do the right thing (they are adept at turning against their fellow evangelicals when the situation arises), it does not have the moral, spiritual or theological conviction to expose, oppose and remove such aberrations from the church's life.  

Further, the press report states that "the issue of gay clergy threatens to cause a schism in the Church of Scotland," a most unlikely outcome.  Senior reformed evangelicals within that church hold the view that even if the C of S were to join with the Roman catholic church, they would not leave 'the Kirk.'  So we are right back to the old situation where the denomination takes priority over the Gospel.  This church, and all churches that accept the validity of theological liberalism, are in exactly the same boat. They are like the frog that is placed in a saucepan filled with cold water which is then put on to boil, and the poor old frog becomes increasingly accustomed to the rise in temperature that it stays there until it is boiled to death.  In no way would it jump into a pot of boiling water.

Similarly, ministers and members alike who are comfortable within unfaithful churches, are prepared to stay in them, regardless of how those churches deny the truth of the Gospel.  They profess that the supreme standard of the church is the Holy Scriptures but in reality, the supreme standard is their church's code, or law book.  There is a tremendous departure from the truth of the Gospel in all these churches, and there are also vested and personal interests that exercise a vice-grip hold over men in the ministry.   

Commentators on the Church of Ireland's challenges over same-sex marriages is another case in point, and talk of a schism is also around.  But this will not happen either, because the denomination has such a hold over these men's consciences that they would see it as schismatic to leave 'mother church.'

Church authorities maintain their silence on such matters, thus demonstrating their indifference to the denial of the Gospel. 

But it is not being schismatic to leave what has proved itself to be a church in apostacy, and to join with what is a truer manifestation of the church on earth.  Of course, the big question is, Which one?