“This attack on evangelicals is a pre-emptive strike anticipating the debate on the acceptance of practicing homosexuals on Wednesday. Brand opponents as “grumbling grunters” and you can ignore their appeal to Scripture and the unbroken tradition of the historic church. In a few years time you can demand that they toe the line or leave!”

In what appears to be a carefully planned and co-ordinated attack on evangelical ministers the Church of Scotland has issued a call for discipline of those congregations and ministers who do not ordain women to eldership or support women in ministry:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/kirk-urged-to-crack-down-on-sexist-local-church-leaders.24272175

The Kirk is urged to “crack down on sexist local church leaders”, and they themselves are urged to leave because their presence is a threat to peace and unity and they cannot be tolerated in a broad church.

Two former Moderators attacked the “antiquated gangsterism” and the “grumbling grunters” who stand in the way of progress and argue that discipline should be initiated against them.  Indeed, there should be a trawl for women who have suffered at their hands in order that discipline can begin.

The spin team of the Church of Scotland have made sure that this is headline news in the Scottish press, both in leaders and in news reporting. The timing is significant – two days before the debate on active homosexuals in office.

It will not escape notice that those who are most vocal in opposing the acceptance of practicing homosexuals in office and the proposed removal of such behaviour from the possibility of biblical discipline are also those who maintain a biblical position on women in office.  At one swoop their removal would remove a core of resistance to the gay agenda.  Of course not all who oppose active homosexuality are opposed to women in office, but by focusing on this issue the opposition to the normalization of active homosexuality can be spit and effectively picked of individually.

I wonder what those naive biblical evangelicals who have expressed a principled stand against both women in office and the acceptance of practicing homosexuals now feel?  Some of them assured us that the established church is really “the only game in town” ; now they are being told, “Get out of town!”

In a comment to the Scotsman’s article, “Sexists should quit Kirk, says Former Moderator”, I wrote, parodying the actual text of the article:

In a few years time the press report will read: “MINISTERS and elders who still discriminate against practicing homosexuals should “get out” if they are not willing to adhere to Kirk law, a former Moderator has said.

In a strongly worded attack, the Very Rev I M Liberal branded those who refuse to accept practicing homosexual elders and ministers as “grumbling grunters”.

This attack on evangelicals is a pre-emptive strike anticipating the debate on the acceptance of practicing homosexuals on Wednesday. Brand opponents as “grumbling grunters” and you can ignore their appeal to Scripture and the unbroken tradition of the historic church. In a few years time you can demand that they toe the line or leave!

Strangely, I actually agree with ex Moderator David Lacy. The original assurances given to evangelicals that they would never be forced to act against conscience were LIES. The same kind of false promises will be made again to those naive enough to believe that the Kirk, if it confirms its acceptance of active homosexuals in office, will allow them to opt out indefinitely from the Liberal agenda. Time to leave, or at the very least time to begin the preparations to leave. The writing is on the wall…

Robert M. Walker is an elder in Bishopbriggs Free Church of Scotland, near Glasgow. He has lived and worked in the UK, West Africa and the USA. He served as a teaching elder in the Church of Scotland for 19 years, and in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (USA) for 4 years. This article is used with permission.