Affirmation Scotland was a network within the
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...
seeking full inclusion of the
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term ...
communities within the Church. It was founded in 2006, during the debate as to whether ministers should be allowed to conduct
civil partnership
A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...
ceremonies.
[http://www.affirmationscotland.org.uk/about%20us.htm. Accessed: 2015-10-23. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6cUfmz9jb)] The activities of Affirmation Scotland were coordinated by The Revd. Blair Robertson. At the annual General Assembly Service of Affirmation Scotland in May 2016 Affirmation Scotland was wound up. It exists as a Facebook page where people can post news of interest to LGBTI people, and their friends, connected to The Church of Scotland.
Background
Affirmation Scotland calls for a Church characterised by
grace
Grace may refer to:
Places United States
* Grace, Idaho, a city
* Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois
* Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office
* Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uninco ...
,
compassion and
inclusion
Inclusion or Include may refer to:
Sociology
* Social inclusion, aims to create an environment that supports equal opportunity for individuals and groups that form a society.
** Inclusion (disability rights), promotion of people with disabiliti ...
. While specifically seeking the affirmation and dignity of
lesbian and
gay
''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'.
While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
Christians within the church, it also seeks a progressive Church in a wider theological sphere, inspired by the Spirit of God, that is semper reformanda – always reforming, always in accordance with a critical understanding of the Word of God.
One of its most prominent supporters has been Professor
George Newlands of Glasgow University, Emeritus professor of Divinity.
Services
Affirmation Scotland offers a ministry of care, hope and advocacy to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (lgbt) Christians, their families and supporters. It also seeks to contribute to the debate within the
Kirk
Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church". It is often used specifically of the Church of Scotland. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.
Basic meaning and etymology
As a common noun, ''kirk' ...
on human sexuality from a progressive perspective. The network provided pastoral care to a number of LGBT people, delivered workshops for Kirk Sessions and other church groups and held a Retreat-style conference for a number of years.
Affirmation Scotland sought to:
* create safe places and times for gay people and their friends to meet for worship, fellowship, and support.
* organise events that promote an inclusive church.
* provide resources to the Kirk and the LGBT community promoting the belief that God welcomes into God's family all people regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
* speak out for the dignity and place of gay Christians whenever this is under attack.
* respond appropriately to approaches by the media for comment on issues related to the Kirk.
* be a presence – reminding the Kirk in a consistent way that the lgbt community has always been and is present within the Kirk.
References
External links
Affirmation Scotland Homepage retrieved October 22, 2006.
Church of Scotland
LGBT and Protestantism
{{LGBT-org-stub