The Church of Scotland has banned the appointment of homosexual ministers for at least two years in order to prevent a split in the Church.
The decision comes only two days after the ordination of openly-gay minister Scott Rennie, a move which divided Scotland and led some conservative traditionalists to threaten to split away from the Church.
The Church’s General assembly postponed making a final decision on the issue of gay clergy by setting up a work group to report back in 2011.
The special commission is set to examine same-sex relationships as well as other issues brought up by Rennie’s appointment.
“It is comparatively easy to split a church but the challenge of healing the divisions, so-thought, is of an entirely different nature altogether,” Rev Angus Morrison told elders and fellow ministers.
“The notion that these tensions within a church can best be solved by going separate ways is deeply flawed. It is a path rather to the multiplication of problems.”
The assembly also banned discussing any sexual issues with the media, a move that has been condemned as “suppressing the debate”.
