Head of Scottish Anglicans to confront fellow primates over gay marriage vote

Sep 30, 2017 by Jill

by Catherine Pepinster, Guardian:

The head of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) is to confront his critics in Canterbury when he meets fellow primates of the Anglican Communion for the first time since his church backed gay marriage.

Mark Strange is bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness and primate of the SEC: he and his fellow bishops and archbishops have been called to a five-day meeting by the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The archbishop spoke of the tensions that could develop, saying that the leaders of the Anglican Communion provinces would not only pray together but “weep together”.

The gathering comes only a few weeks after the first gay Anglican wedding took place in Scotland, following the SEC vote in June to alter its canon law on marriage, which had previously defined marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The Scottish vote outraged some African Anglican leaders, three of which have said they will veto the Anglican Communion gathering. But although those that do attend may consider some sort of punitive measure against the SEC, the Scots are prepared for it. The decision to introduce same-sex weddings was taken in the understanding that the Scottish church would face similar measures to those taken against the American Episcopalians for their support of same-sex marriage. These included being barred from representing the Communion at ecumenical and interfaith talks.

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