Church of Scotland moves closer to accepting more gay clergy

London, May 24 (ENInews)--The church of Scotland, which has been threatened with
schism since it confirmed the appointment of an openly homosexual minister two
years ago, voted at its general assembly yesterday to move toward the acceptance
of gay and lesbian candidates for ordination.

Members of the general assembly, meeting in Edinburgh, voted by 351 to 294 to
"consider further the lifting of the moratorium on acceptance for training and
ordination of persons in a same sex relationship."

The ban was put in place in 2009 in the wake of the controversy which followed
the church's appointment of Scott Rennie, who was living with a male partner in
Aberdeen. A special commission was established to explore the issue, and the
recommendation for further examination of the matter was contained in the
commission's report to assembly yesterday.