Press Release -- 20th January 2000
At the Commission of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland meeting
in Edinburgh on 20th January 2000, 22 Ministers who had been unlawfully suspended
from the exercise of their Ministry declined to accept the authority of the
Court.
A succession of unconstitutional actions by a voting majority in the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland culminated in a resolution of the Commission of Assembly in December 1999 to charge thirty-one ministers with contumacy -- i.e. deliberate defiance of a court instruction.
The charges against 22 of those were partially processed and an attempt was made to suspend them (preventing them from working as ministers) until the General Assembly in May, when it was intended to resume consideration of the charges.
Because the process against them was unconstitutional and unprecedented and resulted in an unwarranted denial of their right to preach, the ministers against whom judgement had been pronounced declined the jurisdiction of the Court, declaring that they would not be bound by the judgements arrived at. They continued the meeting of the Commission of Assembly in the historic Magdalen Chapel, one of Edinburgh's most important religious sites.
They have declared that their action has been taken in defence of truth and justice and the historic principles and practice of the Free Church of Scotland.
A full press statement will be issued in the near future
A press conference will be held on Friday 21st January 2000, 41 Cowgate, Edinburgh at 1:00pm. The Magdalen chapel is situated almost adjacent to George IV Bridge at the Western end of the Cowgate, near the Grassmarket.
PR/000120
Any comments or questions please E-Mail
me or Rev William Macleod the
Editor.
[Back to Reformed Christian Pages][Back
to Free Church Foundations][Back to the Information
Service]