Church of Scotland's Ideas On Saving Cash with Huge Property Sell- Off Beggar Belief ; Folly to Ignore Structural Deficit When Discussing Fiscal Autonomy Our Current Voting System Denies Democracy and Is a Cynical Bid to Monopolise Power There Are First-Class Reasons Why Increasing Consessionary Travel to Rail Fares in These Lean Times Would Prove Extremely Beneficial Scots Would Like a Clegg Apology, Too Curriculum Doubts

The Herald › May 07, 2010

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Summary

Politicians are often accused of hiding bad news amongst other, more immediately pressing, matters. It seems, however, that the Church of Scotland is following their example by releasing, while most peoples' minds are engaged with the General Election, two allegedly cash-saving ideas: first, to use unpaid ordained people to reduce the number of parish ministers; and, secondly to offer for sale perhaps 50% of its buildings.

Both these ideas beggar belief. As to the first, whatever happened to labourers being worthy of their hire? As to the second, one can only assume that the Kirk has a massive death-wish. Of course the Church is people- but to dress this up as "people not buildings" is nonsense. The Church is people worshipping in buildings, doing mission from buildings, and using buildings in many ways to help the community at large.

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Church of Scotland's Ideas On Saving Cash with Huge Property Sell- Off Beggar Belief ; Folly to Ignore Structural Deficit When Discussing Fiscal Autonomy Our Current Voting System Denies Democracy and Is a Cynical Bid to Monopolise Power There Are First-Class Reasons Why Increasing Consessionary Travel to Rail Fares in These Lean Times Would Prove Extremely Beneficial Scots Would Like a Clegg Apology, Too Curriculum Doubts

I have never been in any doubt, during a lifetime as a minister, that the closure of buildings is one of the main causes of the Kirk's plight today. Each time congregations are forced into a local union, with the loss, secularisation or demolition of a well-loved building, many members are lost, never to return. Further, one cannot doubt that the sight of closed, secularised or derelict church buildings is a shocking witness to the Kirk's lack of vision. To continue and accelerate this process can only hasten the day when the Church of Scotland will end up sitting on the sidelines.

Of course our superabundance of buildings is a result of our schismatic past, but I suggest that, while it may seem unf...

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