Reforming the way committees and councils account for expenditure will be looked at, as will insisting that commissioners attend at least 80 per cent of Assembly sessions if they want to claim expenses. (Editor’s Note: Never happen in the PCA!!)

The deep divisions in the Church of Scotland over same-sex marriage are expected to resurface this week when the General Assembly is asked to endorse the Kirk’s opposition.

With the Scottish Government expected to outline its position on gay weddings shortly, homosexuality remains a difficult issue for the Kirk.

Traditionalists, who believe that same-sex relationships go against the Bible’s teachings, have already clashed with ministers with a more liberal attitude towards homosexuality.

But Kirk insiders suggested that a debate on a report on “Issues in Human Sexuality” will present a chance for the traditionalists to reassert their opposition to same-sex marriage.

“What you might find is that, under the marriage report, somebody will propose that the Church should welcome marriage [between a man and a woman] or people should back the [anti] gay marriage campaign. That’s very possible,” said one insider yesterday.

The report, from the Kirk’s mission and discipleship committee, itself acknowledges differing strands of opinion within Scotland’s national church. “Clearly the many people in the Church who do not think same-sex sexual activity is ever an appropriate form of behaviour will think it wrong for marriage to be extended to same-sex couples,” it says.

“There also many in the Church who, while open to same-sex couples living in sexual partnership, do not feel that marriage is the right context for or description of their relationship.

“Christian marriage has always been between one man and a woman,” it says, before concluding: “While extending marriage to same-sex couples is beginning to be debated in society and the Church, this would constitute a major break with scripture and Church practice through the ages.”

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