The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has urged evangelical congregations within the Church of Scotland not to \u201cwalk away\u201d\u009d over the ordination of [noncelibate] gay ministers.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the eve of a visit to Scotland as the new chairman of Christian Aid, Williams said he understood some congregations might threaten to break away if the Kirk\u2019s \u00c2\u00adGeneral Assembly votes to allow the ordination of gay ministers later this month, but warned against such a divisive move.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe impulse to walk away, while deeply understandable, is not a very constructive one,\u201d\u009d he said. \u201cThe things which bind Christians together are almost always more profound and significant for themselves and the world than the things that divide them. When you do walk away from other Christians you are in effect saying well, either I can do without you or I\u2019ve got nothing to learn from you. That can\u2019t be good for us. You may disagree, you may think somebody else is tacitly perverse, but you might want to hang in there with them.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n