Covenant Fellowship Scotland statement following the decision of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland on Monday 23rd May

 

Following the decision of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland this morning, 23rd May 2022, to turn an Overture into an Act that will permit ministers and deacons to officiate at same sex marriages, Covenant Fellowship Scotland released the following press statement:

Monday 23rd May 2022

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, in converting an Overture permitting ministers and deacons to officiate at same-sex marriages into an Act of the Church, has acted in a way which is both unbiblical and sinful.

We all have a deep pastoral care and concern for those who wish to enter into same sex marriages, and we understand the pastoral impulse of ministers and deacons who wish to help people at life’s key moments.

But we must nevertheless point to the complete absence of any compelling or persuasive biblical evidence that might permit ministers and deacons of the Church of Scotland to officiate at same sex marriages.

Many of us in the Church of Scotland are deeply saddened and further alienated by this continuing departure from the biblical, historical and ecumenical Christian understanding of human nature and marriage.

The Church of Scotland has always claimed to be founded upon the teaching of Holy Scripture, but this decision contradicts everything the Bible has to say about the complementary nature of men and women, and of the character and purposes of marriage. Instead of following the clear and unambiguous teaching of God’s written word, the Bible, the Church of Scotland continues to follow popular opinion.

In taking this step, the Church of Scotland reinforces its determination to act contrary to the history and doctrine of the Christian Church, and further separates itself from the majority global Church of Jesus Christ.

We believe that this continuation of an unscriptural trajectory will worsen the numerical decline of the Church of Scotland. It is now obvious and clear that the move towards an acceptance of same sex marriage and relationships within the life of the Church of Scotland has not stemmed numerical decline,  but has accelerated it.

Church ministers, elders, members and adherents have left in recent years, and they will continue to leave for as long as God’s plan concerning marriage is ignored. People are leaving the Church of Scotland and going to Churches which take God and the Bible seriously. The devastation of the Church is before our eyes and this is surely what we should anticipate, since we cannot expect blessing instead of judgement when we abandon God’s written word, the Bible.

We believe the Church of Scotland has made a serious mistake. It needs to repent and turn back to God. Every Christian Church that has abandoned the biblical view of marriage as the lifelong union of a man and a woman is, without exception, in numerical decline, perhaps irrecoverably.

With sadness, we now believe the Church of Scotland permits and encourages immorality and disobedience. Those of us who value God and the revelation of his will concerning marriage must stand together and work for the overturning of a decision that is erroneous and sinful.

(For more information on Covenant Fellowship Scotland see here)