Free Church offers "One Church Solution"

At its Commission of Assembly meeting last night, the Free Church of Scotland agreed to offer what it called a “One Church Solution” to the Free Church Continuing. By this they hope to heal at least one division in the Presbyterian Church in Scotland.

The Free Church Continuing (FCC) was formed by a small but significant minority who left the Free Church in 2000 after a group of ministers walked out of a Church disciplinary hearing. They believed that they were the true Free Church of Scotland and subsequently began a legal process in the Court of Session to claim the assets of the Free Church. Exactly a year ago on 24th March 2005, Lady Paton rejected their claims and dismissed their case. The FCC then appealed against this ruling, but have now departed from their appeal, effectively accepting Lady Paton’s decision that they are not the Free Church of Scotland.

The Free Church believes that this is now a new situation, providing a unique opportunity to heal the split. They are inviting members who left the Free Church believing that the FCC was the true Free Church to now return to the Free Church of Scotland.

They are also appealing to those ministers and other office bearers who were suspended from office to return to the various Courts of the Church which suspended them to have their suspensions dealt with according to the Biblical principles laid down by the procedures of the Church. This effectively means they should show repentance for their divisive actions. This is an option to which Lady Paton made reference in her ruling.

While the Free Church regards the One Church Solution to be the most Biblical option, they recognise that some in the FCC may, for various reasons, consider this impossible. In that event, if the FCC continues to exist as a separate body, the Free Church is willing to offer proposals for a Two Church Solution. If the FCC recognise that the Free Church buildings they occupy belong to the Free Church of Scotland and return them, the Free Church will recognise the FCC as a separate, differently named denomination and their ministers as ministers of that denomination. In addition they will, where possible and desirable, offer sharing or renting of buildings and, in the case of buildings surplus to present requirements, lease or sell these to the FCC.

The Free Church also expects the FCC to co-operate fully in the removal of any outstanding legal process related to the dispute, and the release of frozen Free Church bank accounts.

Free Church Moderator, Rev Alex J MacDonald, Edinburgh, said, “This is a historic opportunity to heal at least one division in the Church in Scotland, one of very recent occurrence, and bring an end to what has been an extremely painful decade in the Church’s experience. This is a genuine and heartfelt attempt to resolve difficulties in a God-honouring way and with integrity, and we appeal to those who left the Free Church to consider it prayerfully and seriously."