"I think it’s deeply sad that the Church of Scotland has decided to follow the world, instead of following the teaching of Scripture. I don’t think we’re at liberty to make up our morality as we go along, because God has spoken by his Spirit through the Scriptures, and the Scriptures are very clear that same-sex sexual acts are contrary to God's will sinful, and, therefore, the Church should not be promoting such."
So said Church of Scotland Reverend Prof Andrew McGowan of Highland Theological College during a conversation on BBC Radio 4 last week, even as openly gay Church of Scotland Minister Reverend Scott Rennie argued the opposite: that Scripture does not deliver the final word on sexual ethics.
The seven-minute disagreement over the position of this state-sanctioned religious institution exuded irony not only because the idea of the state being above God is heretical, insane, and illogical, but also because the mini-debate was conducted on the BBC, which, through the coercive theft of taxation, forces people to pay for every broadcast.
But the larger picture is most striking: it's the reality that a Reverend in the Church of Scotland can argue that scriptural teaching against same-sex acts should be cast aside, in light of contemporary “scientific” thinking.
Said Rennie:
It’s a disagreement about Scripture and its place and its connection with reason and the modern world.
Actually, it’s not. The Bible is clear. For sexual intercourse to accord with God’s word, it is to be conducted within the bounds of holy matrimony. Holy matrimony, according to the Bible, is a bond between a man and a woman, only, and, thus, for believing Christians, any sex act outside of such a bond is sinful. The syllogism is simple, and clear.
But not to those who would like to call themselves Christians while they read things into the Bible that do not exist, while they “interpret” the word of God in order to make room for pandering and trying to be “inviting” to “new members of the faith.”
Related: Harris Avoids A Single Mention Of God At “Faith Leaders” Meeting On Abortion | MRCTV
If the “faith” can be reworked and adjusted like clay, if it can be reworded to accept acts that clearly are not alright in the Bible, then for what does that “Faith” stand except constant “inclusiveness” and temporary, material popularity?
As The Christian Institute reports:
Revd McGowan is a Trustee of Covenant Fellowship Scotland which publicly described the General Assembly decision to allow Ministers to conduct same-sex weddings in its churches as both ‘unbiblical and sinful’.
‘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.’
But modernity, manifested, in the ideas, words, and actions of Minister Rennie, will not be cowed.
Dismissing the Professor’s argument that “the Holy Spirit cannot contradict what He’s already spoken through prophets and apostles”, Rennie claimed: 'we learn things through psychology, through science, and we’ve got to read Scripture in that light.'
He protested: ‘I’m not suggesting we should just throw away the Scriptures and just conform to anything’.
But he added: ‘people’s understanding of human sexuality has developed, we’ve grown better, we know more, and so we read the Scriptures in that light”.
From the Catholic Church -- and strict believers’ struggles against Jesuit socialist Pope Francis and towering hypocrites Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi -- to the government-tied Church of Scotland, for those who fight to keep the Bible sacred, the contemporary attacks against God’s messages are heating up.
Undoubtedly, people are finding new allies – even moving away from these institutions – because of the troubles, so that they can stay true to God.
Follow us on Twitter @MRCTV!