SNP's John Swinney allays church fears on gay marriage
Scottish cabinet member John Swinney has allayed fears that churches refusing to hold gay marriages could be open to court action. The Scottish government, which favours the move, is consulting on the issue. In a BBC news website interview, SNP Finance Secretary Mr Swinney said he did not think there would be “a danger” of [...]
Historic tin church is back in service
A historic church, one of Scotland’s oldest surviving tin tabernacles, has reopened after a two-year restoration. Almost £160,000 was spent upgrading St Fillan’s Episcopal Church in the Killin conservation area of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The corrugated iron church, which dates back to 1876, was in disrepair after years of rising damp. [...]
Gay marriages and the Scottish Episcopal Church
John F Stuart, Provincial Secretary of the Scottish Episcopal Church, writes to The Scotsman: It is difficult to see how your headline, “Gay marriages backed by Episcopal Church” (13 October), can in any way be justified by a fair reading of the article by our Primus, the Most Reverend David Chillingworth, “A Secular State Should [...]
Rutherglen event that shaped the history of Scotland
Rutherglen has always enjoyed a prominent role in Scottish history, from the belief it is the nation’s oldest Royal Burgh, to Sir John Menteith agreeing to betray William Wallace while plotting in the town, writes Douglas Dickie. The Scottish Parliament even sat here for a period in 1300 – but there is one event that [...]
Episcopal Church considers changing stance on gay marriages
The head of Scotland’s Episcopal Church has launched a veiled attack on the opposition from senior Catholics to same-sex marriage, claiming it raises “significant issues” about the “relationship between church and state”. In an intervention that shows the deepening split in Scotland’s faith communities over the issue, the Most Rev David Chillingworth, Primus of the [...]
Senior cleric 'embarrassed' by Scottish Roman Catholic bishops over 'gay marriage'
The Provost of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow said today that he is “embarrassed” by the Scottish Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church concerning the manner of their opposition to the current Scottish government consultation on same-sex marriage. “The behaviour of our brothers, the Roman Catholic Bishops, in recent days has been so unpleasant [...]
Celtic Bishops gather in Scotland for bi-annual conference
The Diocesan Bishops of the Anglican Celtic Churches (Scotland, Ireland and Wales) together with their Primates will meet in Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland from Monday 26th to Thursday 29th September. The bishops of the Celtic churches meet together every two years and each of the three provinces takes it in turns to host the meeting. Throughout [...]
Scotland's gay marriage discussion stirring controversy among faith groups
The Scottish government has begun a 14-week public consultation, running from 2 September to 9 December, on the question of legalizing marriage for gay couples, encouraging individuals and groups such as religious organizations to take part. Catholic church leaders have already begun to criticize the idea. Cardinal Keith O’Brien, in a homily given in early [...]
Church hopes to revive renowned choir that was killed off in 1560
Their voices last rang out when Leith was besieged by the French and Mary, Queen of Scots ruled the nation. Now a school of song, or sang schule in old Scots, will return to the city district for the first time in more than 450 years. The congregation of Pilrig St Paul’s Church hope to [...]
Perthshire minister suffers cuts in bizarre sea eagle attack
A Perthshire clergyman is recovering from wounds after being attacked by a sea eagle that also killed one of his showbirds. The horrific incident — believed to be the first involving a human — happened on Friday at a bird pen beside the home of the Very Rev Hunter Farquharson in Abernethy, when the bird [...]
