Skip to main content.
Related sites:
Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news
ReligionNewsBlog

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:
Web religionnewsblog.com
Home | Site Menu | About RNB | RNB Store | Cult FAQ | Cult Experts | Apologetics Index | Cult Information Search Engine


Related

More news articles & news archive on Homosexuality/Lesbianism/Bisexuality/Transg.


Advertisements *

Advertise on Religion News Blog Advertise Here *
Simple steps to financial health and a good credit score


Elsewhere

Why does doctrine matter?


Homosexuality/Lesbianism/Bisexuality/Transg.:

Church wants to understand gays

BBC, UK
June 5, 2007
news.bbc.co.uk
  • Article Tools  • Share This Story

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 18438 • Posted: Wednesday June 6, 2007  

Click here... More articles on this topic: Homosexuality/Lesbianism/Bisexuality/Transg.

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has voted to adopt a new policy on homosexuals at its general assembly.

It is to adopt the recommendations of an internal report on the issue.

It does not change the church’s theological stance - that homosexuality is wrong - but urges more understanding for gay parishioners in pastoral care.

Congregations are encouraged to create an environment of love, acceptance, patience and forgiveness and develop a space where sexuality can be discussed.

Reverend Bobby Liddle, convenor of the group which drew up the guidelines, said that the church was a conservative one, but that it wanted to show its concern for people struggling with their sexuality.

“We are seeking to acknowledge that there are those within the context of our church who in the past have been hurt and we are seeking to do better in that,” he said.

On Monday, the church’s new moderator, Dr John Finlay, implied it would be difficult for sexually active gays to remain within the Presbyterian fold.

“If someone was an overtly practising homosexual, and our church condemns that as contrary to scripture, that would be difficult as far as church discipline is concerned,” he said.

Mr Finlay 61, minister of Harryville Presbyterian Church in Ballymena, took over the role for the next 12 months in succession to David Clarke.

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has about 300,000 members in over 560 congregations and is the largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland.



Religion News Blog RSS feed Subscribe: Religion News Blog RSS feed  |  Religion News Blog RSS feed Subscribe by topic: Homosexuality/Lesbianism/Bisexuality/Transg.

Like this story?

Today's Most Popular Articles

Doctor Says...

Share this

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:




Article and Site Tools

» PermaLink to: Church wants to understand gays
   Need a shorter link? You can remove everything after the final /
» More news articles + news archive on Homosexuality/Lesbianism/Bisexuality/Transg.
» More religion and cult news

Subscribe (RSS / Email) [What is RSS?]
» RSS News Feed - All Topics: Religion News Blog RSS Feed
» RSS News Feed - Single Topic: Homosexuality/Lesbianism/Bisexuality/Transg.
» Headlines by Email: Daily Religion News Blog Headlines

More Article Tools
• Bookmark / Tag: Del.icio.us
• Bookmark / Tag: Furl
Save this article
Email this article
Print this article [Temporarily out of order]

More Information
Books about Homosexuality/Lesbianism/Bisexuality/Transg.
Relevant books (and other goodies)

more religion news aboutmore Religion News Blog articles about

About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.