Next meeting of CourageSCOTLAND

Saturday 27th of October, 2007

Followed by 24th of November, 2007

See Events Page for details

discipleSCOTLAND is an inclusive evangelical venture to support and aid those who find themselves with no where else to go.  It is our belief that the majority - and there are notable exceptions! - of the Evangelical Church has lost its way from the radical, biblical and Orthodox heritage that gave birth to it.

The strength of the Evangelical heritage has been its belief in the Divine Inspiration of the Scriptures and its authority in all areas of faith and life.  But it appears to us that the growing weakness of the Evangelical movement is the way its own interpretation of Scripture is elevated to an unassailable position.  This authoritarian - one could argue Papal - imposition on the Text is an invalid one.  It empowers the exponents of the 'received' dogmatic position and immediately disenfranchises any who may have a different interpretation.  No area is this more clearly seen than around the question of homosexuality. 

In the Ivory Towers of Theological Thought this exclusive authoritarianism works well.  Professors, PhD students and Clergy can issue forth on their pet subjects and with vitriol and argue back and forth amongst themselves on the intricacies of theological discourse.   The problem with this is that the vitriol does not remain within the confines of the corridors of academia, but rather oozes out with caustic vengence into the pulpits, radio stations, magazines and books that the rest of the Church is so influenced and taught by. 

The leaders of the evangelical right believe a war is being waged and in this war the ends justify the means.  The end they desire is the salvation of the world.  Few would argue with that.  The methods are however indiscriminate carpet bombing of whole tracts of society and the Church without any concern for the consequences or the lives crushed.  One of the purposes of discipleSCOTLAND is to help the casualties of this unholy war.  Another is to challenge the preconceptions of the Church that allows them to sleep at night and spew forth the venom in the name of the Prince of Peace they worship.  Lastly we want to share the love of the God of the Bible with the rest of the gay community - men and women who have been shunned and hated by the Church and who consequently would never in their worst nightmare turn to Christians for help or spiritual investigation. 

Please Check out the Articles page for the latest of more in-depth discussions on the site.