Nearly 40 rebel parishes across Scotland have joined forces in a defiant stand against the Church of Scotland over gay ordination, the issue that threatens to split the ancient body.

As fears rise that the Kirk's move to halt public discussion on human sexuality could accelerate its disintegration, individual churches have "unashamedly" signed up to a campaign of non-co-operation against the Church over its decision not to address the question of allowing gay ministers for two years.

It includes nine churches in Glasgow and surrounds, four in Edinburgh, and four in the north-east around Aberdeen.

Members of the General Assembly have described the move to appoint a special commission, which it is understood does not have any gay or lesbian members, to review gay ordination after the gay divorced father of one Rev Scott Rennie was allowed to take up a post as minister in Aberdeen, as a "fudge".

One parish, which the Kirk refused to name, has indicated to officials that it will withdraw congregational funding to the central Kirk, a key component of Church of Scotland affiliation for hundreds of years.

Now 35 churches have publicly said they will not accept gay ordination under any circumstances, putting them on collision course with the Kirk ahead of the critical 2011 General Assembly when the special commission reports back, and more are to follow.

The defiant congregations believe that by adhering to a "covenant" compiled by the evangelical group, Fellowship of Confessing Churches, they can stay within the auspices of the Kirk while standing firm against accepting gay ordination. They have agreed to place the unambiguous statement in a prominent place in their churches.

The covenant signatories "recognise God's creation of humankind as male and female and the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family".

"We acknowledge the great harm that has come from our failures to maintain this standard, and we repent and call for a renewed commitment to lifelong fidelity in marriage and abstinence for those who are not married."

The fellowship, which was in existence for some time, is not solely there to fight gay ordination, said one Glasgow minister.

The Rev William Philip, of St George's Tron, said: "I'm very glad that the fellowship gives our congregation an opportunity to publicly make a stand for the orthodox Christian Gospel, so that anyone who comes to out church knows this is what we believe in."

The Herald revealed on Wednesday that the controversial gagging order has already been disregarded by one minister, while another has resigned over the Kirk's position, narrowly established after debate and a vote at the gathering of nearly 1000 Assembly delegates in Edinburgh in May.

However, no-one at the Church's headquarters in the Scottish capital is willing to address the latest breach on the grounds that members are unable to discuss publicly anything to do with the issue.

The Kirk insists potential disciplinary matters are firstly dealt with by presbytery officials, but clerks say they are prevented from acting publicly because of the ban.

The Rev Louis Kinsey, of St Columba's Church in Aberdeen, who vehemently opposed the appointment of Mr Rennie, said the moratorium "only adds to the momentum towards disintegration".

None of the presbyteries of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen or Lochcarron and Skye, the latter of which had sought debate on gay ordination at the last Assembly, would comment. Defiant churches

St George's Tron, St Rollox, St Margaret's Tollcross, Partick Trinity, Carmyle Church (all Glasgow); Kirk o' Shotts, Lanarkshire; St John's Town of Dalry Parish Church, Castle Douglas, Dumfriesshire; Old Luce, New Luce (Newton Stewart); Troqueer Parish Church, Dumfries; Loudoun Church, Newmilns; St Andrew's Church, Harthill; New Restalrig Church, Holyrood Abbey Church, Davidson's Mains Church, St Catherine's Argyle (Edinburgh); Gilcomston South, High Church Hilton (Aberdeen); Macduff Parish Church, Gardenstown; St Kane's, New Deer; Kinmylies Church, East Church (Inverness); Alness; Durness & Kinlochbervie; Lochalsh Parish, Glenelg & Kintail (Kyle of Lochalsh); Kilmuir & Stenscholl, Strath & Sleat Parish (Skye) High Church Stornoway, Lochs Crossbost, Barvas Parish (Lewis) Tarbert, Manish-Scarista (Harris) Benbecula Church.