The Edinburgh International Book Festival saw a relatively rare occurrence as a former Archbishop and a former Bishop had a heated open argument in public. George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury and Professor Richard Holloway, the former Bishop of Edinburgh clashed in front of a packed festival audience.

Dr Carey was discussing his new book, ‘Know the Truth’ and was taking questions from the audience when Professor Holloway duly complimented to the request for questions.

He asked Carey, who has in the past made his opposition to “practising homosexuality” well-known, how he could hold that opinion when Jesus made no direct mention of homosexuality but condemned divorcees remarrying, which Carey does not condemn.

Attendants watched and listened closely as both former clergy made strong points against the other but in the end agreed to disagree on the topic.

However, it was obvious to the attendants that one of the clergy must hold the more correct view, and such open disagreement simply allows more condemnation from non-believers due to the Church’s unwillingness to stand united in the Word.

The homosexual debate has extensively split much of the Church across the world as many Church leaders decide to sit on the fence in neither deciding whether to back or condemn the issue. The need of strong Church leaders is more apparent than ever in guiding the ever diminishing congregations, and at the very least a glimpse of this strong leadership was what was shown here at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.