The minister was apologising for the “cruelty and injustice” that the Church of Scotland had shown to the LGBTQ community.
Yesterday, while opening Perthshire Pride, Rev. Scott Burton apologised for the way that the Church of Scotland had treated the LGBTQ community.
Speaking ahead of the event, he called it an “incredible honour” to be asked to play a role in Pride celebrations. He then said: “I will be taking the opportunity to apologise to members of the LGBT community if they have felt hurt, insulted and ostracised from the Church of Scotland.
“Forgive us for all the pain we have caused you and which we continue to inflict on you.” Rev. Burton went on to say that the Church of Scotland would stand with members of the LGBTQ community who had been “damned and denounced”, and that LGBTQ people were “welcome” in the Church of Scotland.
Earlier this year, the Church of Scotland voted by 345-170 to change its laws, and allow same-sex couples to marry in their churches. The measure was proposed by Rev. Bryan Kerr.
Speaking to iNews, Rev. Tom Gordon said: “I have two daughters, both of whom are married. I have one gay daughter in a same-sex marriage.
“When my older daughter got married she had a choice – to ask me to conduct her service as a minister or for me to walk her down the aisle as her dad.
“But when my younger daughter got married, she had no such choice. Give people a choice – allow their marriage to be conducted by a minister. With God’s blessing.”
Even though the vote managed to pass, it did so under the promise that ministers who did not wish to perform same-sex marriages would be allowed to refuse a request.
And despite the passing of the vote, because of the way that the Church of Scotland works, it means that the change might not be enforced until 2021.
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