A High Court judge has been appointed to head the Church of Scotland’s special commission on same-sex relationships and the ministry.

Lord Hodge, a former Kirk procurator, will lead a nine-strong group looking into the question of gay ministers following the row at this year’s General Assembly over the appointment of the openly gay Rev Scott Rennie to a church in Aberdeen.

The Assembly approved Rev Rennie’s move but agreed not to appoint any more gay ministers until after the commission reports back.

Other members of the commission include the Rev John Chalmers, former minister of Edinburgh’s Palmerston Place Church; advocate Ruth Innes, a member at Palmerston Place Church; former Moderator the Very Rev Dr Sheilagh Kesting; and the Rev Peter Graham, former clerk to the Edinburgh presbytery.

• Full story at the Edinburgh Evening News.

• Filed under Church of Scotland, Scottish Christian News Monitor, Sexuality.