Scottish Anglican Network: Contending & Learning

Sep 22, 2018 by

By The Revd David McCarthy, Evangelicals Now:

It was founded in 1844 as an Independent Anglican Church, following the introduction of the Oxford Movement to the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC). It gradually grew closer to SEC from the 1940s onward. Rectors have included George Duncan, Gordon Bridger (later of Oak Hill College), John Wesson (later of Trinity College, Bristol) and Philip Hacking (later of Christ Church Fulwood, Sheffield).

Highs to lows

Since 1985 it has transplanted members into one ageing congregation, St Paul’s & St George’s Edinburgh, through which the Lord has brought renewal and transformation, and also planted a new congregation nearby.

We joined the SEC in 1989, mostly because these plants were in the SEC and it seemed odd not to be one with them. The hope was to see the Lord continue to bring faithful biblical witness to the heart of the church and to the world. Sadly, it has proved to be an uneven yoking which has at times threatened the evangelical stance of the congregation.

When ministering in a liberal denomination, one runs the great risk of becoming more like that denomination than it becoming more biblical. In recent years, we have sought to maintain the biblical and pastoral understanding of marriage as being a lifelong union between one man and one woman.

Unfortunately, the denomination has been undermining such teaching and care by working to change marriage doctrine so that people of the same sex could marry. As a result, St Thomas’ and other evangelical congregations and individuals now find themselves under the leadership of bishops and the authority of canon law which present two distinct understandings of marriage.

How did we get to this point?

Read here

 

Related Posts

Tags

Share This