Scottish Episcopal Church Breaks Up Over Equal Marriage Debate

An Aderdeenshire church in Scotland has voted to split away from the Episcopal Church rather than stay because of its new stance on equal marriage, reports Anglican News.

The Scottish Episcopal Church has angered evangelicals and conservatives by embracing gay marriage in 2017 – becoming the first mainstream branch of Christianity in the UK to wed same-sex couples.

Several local churches have decided to move away in order to maintain their anti-gay teachings. Westhill Community Church in Westhill, Aberdeenshire is the latest to do so.

On January 17, 87 percent of parishioners voted to leave the Scottish Episcopal Church.

“I’m deeply sad that this stage as arrived it breaks my heart. I have been in the SEC for a number of decades and I certainly didn’t want to be in this position,” said Rev. Ian Ferguson who lead the charge to leave.

“It’s too early to say at the moment what’s going to happen next. We’ll continue to be Orthodox Anglicans and we will not be creating another denomination.

“We are just trying to get our heads around the vote because it’s still very fresh.”

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