After four hours of debate on Saturday, the Church of Scotland voted 326-267 to support the appointment of openly gay minister Rev. Scott Rennie: "The 37-year-old divorced father-of-one plans is now free to take up his
new post at Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen, where he plans to share
the manse with his boyfriend."
However, Sunday night, desperate church leaders approved a two-year moratorium on gay ministers: "Desperate not to allow the schism that had been forecast, the
General Assembly postponed making a final decision on the issue by
setting up a working group to report back in 2011, effectively kicking
the issue into the long grass. Delegates also agreed not to talk to the media on sexuality issues
for the two years, a move that was later condemned as 'suppressing the
debate'. Membership of the special commission – which will examine the issues
thrown up in recent weeks, since the appointment of Mr Rennie, and the
wider issue of same-sex relationships – will be appointed at the end of
the General Assembly, which is sitting in Edinburgh…The decision on Mr Rennie…will not be affected by last night's vote."
