Assembly area
Special Commission on the Third Article Declaratory
In 2008, the General Assembly appointed a Special Commission on the Third Article Declaratory. The remit of the Special Commission is:
- to consider the relevance of the Third Article Declaratory in today's Scotland.
- to investigate and report upon the relationship between the Third Article Declaratory and the current
1) Parish staffing policy and Presbytery Plans
2) financing of the Church's work.
- to consider the effect upon the Church of Scotland and its structures if the Third Article Declaratory was retained, modified or removed taking full account in its deliberations of the Church of Scotland's declared priority for the poorest urban and rural parishes as the Gospel imperative facing the whole Church
- to make recommendations regarding the future of the Third Article Declaratory
- to report to the General Assembly of 2010.
and instruct the Selection Committee to bring names to a future session of the General Assembly taking full account of the need for appropriate representation from the poorest urban and rural parishes in Scotland.
The Third Article Declaratory of the Constitution of the Church of Scotland reads:
"This Church is in historical continuity with the Church of Scotland which was reformed in 1560, whose liberties were ratified in 1592, and for whose security provision was made in the Treaty of Union of 1707. The continuity and identity of the Church of Scotland are not prejudiced by the adoption of these Articles. As a national Church representative of the Christian Faith of the Scottish people it acknowledges its distinctive call and duty to bring the ordinances of religion to the people in every parish of Scotland through a territorial ministry."
Membership of the Commission
The Commission has nine members:
Convener
Very Rev Dr Alan D McDonald
Minister, Cameron linked with St Andrews: St Leonard's
Rev James S Dewar
Minister, Edinburgh: Juniper Green
Mr Robin Forrest
Elder, St Columba's, London
Mr Sandy Gemmill
Elder, Edinburgh: Gorgie
Rev Elizabeth M Henderson
Minister, Edinburgh: Richmond Craigmillar
Miss Ann Lyall DCS
Deacon. Lodging House
Mission, Glasgow
Rev Malcolm M Macdougall
Minister, Eddleston linked with Peebles: Old
Rev Dr Peter McEnhill
Minister, Kilmacolm: Old
Miss Judith Taylor
Elder, Cruden
Clerk to the Special Commission:
Very Rev Dr Finlay A J Macdonald
Principal Clerk
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