The organisation of the Church of Scotland
WOMEN IN THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND
An open letter to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 1967:
This appeal comes from six women who believe that they have been called to the ministry of word and sacraments, and that the time has come for the Church of Scotland to take a decision on this question. We believe that the theological principle at issue is quite simply the following: that God can and does call on women to the ordained ministry of his church.
We do not intend to argue the theological case here: that has been done many times before, and there would appear to be an increasing consensus of opinion in the churches that there is no valid theological reason against the admission of women to the ministry.
If that is so, then we venture to suggest that the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland should not delay further by merely sending the report of the Panel on Doctrine to presbyteries 'for their information.' Rather, the General Assembly itself should initiate action now, for the following reasons:
(a) The Present situation in which the Church of Scotand both ordains women to the eldership and licenses women to preach the word, but refuses to ordain women to the ministry of world and sacraments, is clearly anomalous.
(b) Within the Presbyterian tradition an increasing number of churches admits women to the ministry; twenty-two member churches of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches now ordain women.
(c) In the meantime, candidates are being lost to the Church of Scotland. At least eight women members of the Church of Scotland have become ministers of other churches; there are at the moment a number of women in the theologcial colleges, and it is not know how many others may be called.
(d) The question of the relation between the Church of Scotland and other denominations must not be allowed to obscure this issue. If the Church of Scotland is persuaded that the theological case is sound she should act, possibly in consultation with churches with whom she is aldready in conversation. Further, is not action necessary in order to avoid the anomalous situation described in the proposed Plan of Union with the Congregational Union of Scotland?
If the Church of Scotland were to reach a positive decision on this issue, then not only would individual candidates be available to her ministry, but we believe that a new freedom might be experienced at all levels of the church's life, and new patterns of ministry be worked out by men and women in partnership.
We beg that the General Assembly face the basic question - submitted in a petition in 1963, referred to the Panel on Doctrine for consideration, but not answered in their reports - viz. the reality of God's call of a woman to the ministry. If we are in error, show us our error. But if our belief is sound, then we ask that the church should take steps to remove the barrier, in order that the call may be tested of any women who may present themselves to the church as candidates for the ministry.
Claude Barbour, Ministere Feminin, Certificat d'Etudes Religieuses
Margaret Forrester, MA, BD, DCS
Elizabeth Hewat, MA, BD, PhD, DD
Mary Levison, BA, BD, DCS
Mary Weir, BA, BD
Sheila White, MA, BD, DCS

It is now 40 years since women have been ordained in the Church of Scotland. I have been looking at my call to serve Christ over the last 11 months and by Gods grace I hope to continue, learning and growing in my faith through his word . I long to serve Christ to teach of his love, compassion and greatness and answer the Gods call , even though I ask why me? In my heart it is about serving not changing opinion about women that has been done before I was born.