In an eleventh-hour move intended to prevent an historic split in the Church of Scotland, Kirk leaders last night agreed a two-year ban on homosexual ministers - less than 48 hours after they approved the appointment of openly-gay Scott Rennie.

Desperate not to allow the schism that had been forecast, the General Assembly postponed making a final decision on the issue by setting up a working group to report back in 2011, effectively kicking the issue into the long grass.

Delegates also agreed not to talk to the media on sexuality issues for the two years, a move that was later condemned as “suppressing the debate”.

Membership of the special commission - which will examine the issues thrown up in recent weeks, since the appointment of Mr Rennie, and the wider issue of same-sex relationships - will be appointed at the end of the General Assembly, which is sitting in Edinburgh.

The Rev Angus Morrison told elders and fellow ministers that the commission would best serve the “peace and unity” of the Church. “It is comparatively easy to split a church but the challenge of healing the divisions, so-thought, is of an entirely different nature altogether,” he said. “The notion that these tensions within a church can best be solved by going separate ways is deeply flawed. It is a path rather to the multiplication of problems.”

The assembly had yesterday afternoon been due to debate a motion brought forward by the Presbytery of Lochcarron and Skye which sought to assert the primacy of heterosexual marriage. However, moments before the discussion was to commence, the Rev Dr John L. McPake, from Mossneuk Church, in East Kilbride, moved a “deliverance” - a motion - calling for the commission and a ban on public comment on sexuality until May 31, 2011. It was seconded by Mr Morrison.

The Rev James Stewart then proposed an addition to the motion instructing presbyteries to observe a moratorium on ordination and inductions which might appear to prejudice the special commission before it reports.

The assembly voted to approve the appointment of Mr Rennie at Aberdeen's Queen's Cross Church after a debate of more than four hours on Saturday night. The decision on Mr Rennie, carried by 326 votes to 267, will not be affected by last night's vote.

The Presbytery of Lochcarron and Skye agreed to withdraw its overture after plans for the commission were agreed.

Earlier, anti-gay campaigner the Rev Ian Watson, an opponent of Mr Rennie's appointment, had called for a decision to be reached on the day. “We're really tired of this debate,” he said. “I really don't know how much longer the church can sustain this debate”.

He added: “It seems to me that we have the opportunity today to make a decision and not just make a decision ourselves but allow our presbyteries to discuss, debate and then reach a definitive decision.”

Later, Richard Baker, an Aberdeen MSP, said that while it was a matter for the Kirk, and while he could appreciate its desire to maintain unity, he was disappointed that other presbyteries would be denied the chance to appoint ministers freely, as Aberdeen had.

“I don't think someone's sexuality should be a barrier to becoming a minister,” he said.

In relation to the ban on discussing the issue with the media, he said: “I'm not sure suppressing debate on the issue will help resolve it.”

The ban on talking to the press also met with an angry reaction during the debate from the Rev Alec Shuttleworth, who compared it to MPs who like to “blame the media” for the current expenses row. “We're in this not because of the media,” he said. “They're not to be the whipping boys - I don't think that's a sensible idea.”

Catholic orders in abuse row, page 18

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