Kirk needs to change mindset

THE Council of Assembly in its 10-year Strategic Plan for the Church, submitted to this year’s General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, could do no more, after two years of reflection and consultation, than tinker around and within the church’s existing institutional structures. I very much agree with Ross Greer (“The Church of

Scotland needs to be braver”, Agenda, The Herald, May 25) when he reminds us that, instead of seeking to preserve the church as an institution, our sole priority should be to stand with Jesus in “raging against and overthrowing the crushing inequalities of the world”. In his reminder that “we are here to demonstrate a revolutionary message in words and actions” I recall the words of Bishop Michael Curry who, in his memorable St George’s sermon of last Saturday, proclaimed that “Jesus began the most revolutionary movement in human history”.

I would however go much further and suggest that the core problem with the church is that it is incapable of moving beyond the world-views and thus the mindsets of medieval and Victorian times.

It may come as something of a surprise to church “leaders” and to those in the pews that the Good News of Jesus is more than capable of taking on board what 21st century science is telling us about the origins and ongoing evolutionary development of the cosmos.

But that is a whole other story. John Milne,

9 Ardgowan Drive, Uddingston.