REV SHALL NOT REPENT IN ROW Minister brushes off attacks for LGBT stance
Rev Scott Burton warmly embraces Perthshire Pride organisers Claire Mackenzie and Craig Halley A Church of Scotland minister who tried to heal the wound of LGBT prejudice at a popular Perth event has hit back at his critics.
Rev Scott Burton stood up and gave the opening speech at the first ever Perthshire Pride event on Saturday. The minister of St Matthews Church in Perth gave an inspirational speech, apologising unequivocally for the “cruelty and injustice” levelled at people with alternative lifestyles to the traditional male and female coupling traditionally promoted by Christians.
He is the first Church of Scotland minister to address a Pride event.
But while the vast majority of people saluted his stance of love and acceptance for all, a number of fiercely critical personal attacks came his way in the aftermath of his speech at Perthshire Pride on August 11.
In his blog ‘The Wee Flea’, Rev David Robertson, the minister of St Peters Free Church in Dundee, titled his thoughts as ‘Perth’s Pride, Perth’s shame’.
He posed the question to his readers: “Lets say that Scott (and the politicians and press) were right. What would it mean?”
Rev Robertson went on to criticise Rev Burton, called for him to repent and said Christians should be “weeping for the city of Perth and the nation of Scotland.”
Perthshire Pride responded to David Robertson’s blog, telling Pink Saltire, the group giving LGBT news from Scotland: “His article shows the exact reason that we still need Pride events. His hatred is claimed in the name of God, yet any scripture denounces hate of anyone.”
Then yesterday a letter simply addressed to ‘Scott Brunton {sic}, LGBT Festival Leader, Perth’ found its way to the minister. The
sender said: “Scotland sadly is no longer a Christian country and neither are you fit to be a Church of Scotland minister.”
But Rev Burton was not cowed by the view. “I anticipated this kind of reaction. Sadly I’m not surprised. Prior to speaking at Perthshire Pride, I have been well aware that within the church there are some who have extremely strong feeling about this issue.
“My experience is that it seems to be a subject that people feel very strongly about. A minority of those that feel negatively about the LGBT community’s right to be fully included and respected have expressed their views in very aggressive, rude, vocal and hurtful ways.
“You know, in thew last week I received eight messages of criticism on my stance about the church and the LGBT community and well over 100 of support.
“This dirty, muddy little puddle is overwhelmed completely by the tsunami of love, encouragement and support.”
He added that feeling the wrath of the few would not make him step back from reaching out with compassion and continuing to apologise for any ill treatment of the LBGT community within the church.
“Will I continue? Absolutely. Every message of encouragement (or criticism) or any person who has chosen to confide in me the hurt and pain they’ve suffered, only strengthens my resolve to stand up for what I believe is not only an issue of faith but also justice.” Rev Burton