Subj: UK: Clergy in call for Holloway to resign



Date: 23 Aug 1999



Source: Scotsman, The  (UK)

     





Clergy in call for Holloway to resign  



Parishioners feel church leader at odds with Christianity, 

say priests  

TANYA THOMPSON  





THE leader of the Scottish Episcopal Church faced 

unprecedented calls for his resignation last night from his 

priests amid accusations that he is at odds with the basic 

tenets of Christianity.



Richard Holloway, the Bishop of Edinburgh and the primus of 

the Scottish Episcopalians, has infuriated the 54,000-strong 

church community. Parishioners and clergy increasingly feel 

alienated by his controversial remarks on drugs and 

homosexuality which they say contradict Christian teachings.



Last week, the bishop admitted experimenting with cannabis 

and called for a Royal Commission to review the subject 

during publicity interviews for his book, Godless Morality.



The Rev Dr Kevin Scott, the rector of St Philip and St 

James' church in Edinburgh, said last night that the bishop 

had turned his back on traditional Christian teaching.



"For 13 years, he and I were rather at one with each other," 

he said. "I worked shoulder to shoulder with him and he was 

a very effective representative of the Christian gospel. Now 

there is little common ground between parish priests and 

himself, and that gap has widened.



"I have to choose between fellowship of the Church's 

traditional teachings and Bishop Holloway's teachings."



Dr Scott said that most of the clergy were unable to accept 

the bishop's stance on drugs. "The drugs scene is morally 

harmful and it makes us live for the wrong things. He should 

not be talking of the decriminalisation of cannabis and he 

should not be giving a Christian endorsement to drugs."



The bishop's stance has also angered anti-drugs groups. In 

his book, Bishop Holloway says that drugs are natural 

substances which people should take to escape from the 

pressures of the real world. He also believes heroin should 

be available to addicts on prescription.



The Rev Paul Burt, the rector of Holy Trinity in Melrose, 

said that the bishop was beginning to question fundamental 

aspects of Christianity. "He is questioning the resurrection 

of Jesus Christ. It's a bit like Alex Ferguson saying he 

doesn't believe in the existence of football, but he still 

wants to be manager of Manchester United."



The backlash from parishioners follows remarks by Bishop 

Holloway earlier this year, when he claimed sodomy between 

priests ought to be accepted and sadomasochistic sex should 

be tolerated provided it was consensual. He has also 

espoused blessings for gay couples wanting to marry.



Mr Burt said: "The majority of the congregation would not 

agree with his views on homo-sexuality or drugs. They feel 

the bishop's views are unrepresentative and some of them 

want him to resign. A lot of people are asking how does a 

man like this become a bishop."



The Most Rev Richard Holloway was elected bishop in 1986. 

Now at the age of 65, he could in theory remain in office 

for another five years. A Church source who has studied 

canon law said it was virtually impossible to forcibly strip 

him of his office. Only a trial of heresy would result in 

his removal, but no-one was prepared to risk such a radical 

move.



Another possibility would be a unanimous vote of no 

confidence in his office by the remaining bishops which 

would place the moral burden on Bishop Holloway to step 

down.



Canon Mike Parker, of St Thomas's church in Edinburgh, said 

the bishop's public teaching and writings were "cutting the 

ground from under the feet of orthodox Christians".



He said: "He is taking us in entirely the wrong direction as 

a leader of the Christian congregation. Most of the 

congregation is dismayed. We are looking for Christian 

leadership and we are not getting it. The only honourable 

position is for him to move on."



Dr Scott said: "I think he wants to revise basic aspects of 

Christian faith. He has come to the view that the Christian 

church learns its morality from modern society. What he says 

is inconsistent with what a bishop should say. A bishop is 

called to be a chief pastor, to guard the faith. Clearly, if 

he isn't doing that he should find a role in another walk of 

life which could be more fulfilling."



Last night, the Rev Richard Kirker, general secretary of the 

Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, rallied to the bishop's 

defence and said it was unthinkable that he should resign. 

"What he stands for now will in many respects become common 

currency within our lifetime," he added.



Bishop Holloway was unavailable for comment.



A Labour MP last night joined the growing number of public 

figures calling for a review of the country's drugs laws as 

he admitted he had tried cannabis while a student.



Ian Davidson, MP for Glasgow Pollok, said that he backed the 

call by the Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, for a 

Royal Commission to investigate drugs legislation.



He said the effects of tobacco and alcohol could often be 

much worse than soft drugs, and added: "You never hear of 

anybody committing an assault under the influence of 

cannabis." However, he was "genuinely uncertain" as to 

whether soft drugs should be legalised.