This badge is the perhaps the only badge from the St Mary’s Badge Stall to have featured in an article in the Times newspaper.
When the Scottish Episcopal Church debated opening marriage to same-sex couples in 2017, many members of the General Synod were wearing this badge during the debate. This was spotted by a reporter who based part of his report of the synod on it.
It was widely expected that the Archbishop of Canterbury would in some way condemn the decision of the Scottish General Synod when it was made. In the end, this didn’t happen though whether that was because of the reports of these badges in the national media is anyone’s guess. The previous Archbishop of Canterbury had had much to say about a similar decision in the US based Episcopal Church.
The badge is based on the 37th article of the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion which are recognised by the Church of England. (Scottish Episcopal Priests do not have to affirm the Thirty Nine Articles) which states The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this Realm of England.
Occasionally, people erroneously believe the Scottish Episcopal Church to be in some way directed by the decisions of the Church of England. The debate on marriage was just one of many ways in which this was obviously not the case.