Tag Archives: Changing Attitude Scotland

December 2014 Statement from College of Bishops – response from Changing Attitude Scotland

The College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church has issued a statement on 9 December 2014 concerning same-sex marriage in the Scottish Episcopal Church.

This statement can be read here: College of Bishops Guidance re Marriage 2014

Changing Attitude Scotland is saddened at the threatening tone of this statement in connection with those clergy, lay readers, ordinands and candidates who are in same-sex partnerships who might be considering getting married or converting their civil partnerships to marriage. Changing Attitude Scotland believes that marriage is a human right and that the College of Bishops has over-reached its authority in this area. There is no agreement in the church that the Code of Canons should be used as a doctrinal statement of the Scottish Episcopal Church and in any case, as Canon 31 (which concerns marriage in the Scottish Episcopal Church) was drafted at a time when the marriage of same-sex couples was unimaginable, it forms a far from useful commentary on, or guide as to how the church should respond to, current legal developments.

Changing Attitude Scotland remains committed to the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trangender people in the Scottish Episcopal Church and believes that whilst members of the church are threatened by the bishops for expressing their love in marriage, the whole body of Christ suffers.