Faith and public life in Scotland

There’s been much debate over the last two weeks about secularisation in Scotland – the attempt by some to remove religious faith from public life. The debate centred on a submission made jointly to the Scottish Parliament by the Church and Society Council of the Church of Scotland, and the Humanist Society Scotland. It asked that Religious Observance in schools, rather than being an act of worship by any one faith should be a ‘Time for Reflection’ in which the whole school can take part regardless of the beliefs held by individual pupils.

When I was a child, the impression I formed was of a sharp divide between the fairly conservative church I was brought up in, and everyone else – including Christians who had not quite grasped the truth as we had. Later I came to see the arrogance of this, and to recognise that God loves and blesses people from the whole range of Christian traditions.

Later still I realised that while seeking God and worshipping Jesus are particular gateways to joy and a sense of God’s reality, God is active throughout creation, speaking to each of us. We are all, people of religious faith, and people with faith that there is nothing beyond the material dimension, on a common path seeking meaning and purpose, truth and good ways of being.

This is what the joint statement of Church and Humanist Society meant when it referred to both groups seeking ‘a common ground on which they can journey together.’

In the course of a stinging criticism of the Church of Scotland, Dundee Free Church minister David Robertson scorned the idea of ‘journeying’ with non-believer, quoting words from the first part of the Bible ‘except two agree how can they walk together.’

Well, I believe that in Jesus God was uniquely present with us, that Jesus is Lord, that his death brings forgiveness, power and purpose. But I also know that my understanding of what this means is limited, that I have more questions than answers, that the existence of God can never be definitively proved. And so I feel at one with good-hearted people of other faiths and none, listening to them, evaluating their experiences, respecting their convictions as I trust that they will respect mine. It seems very much like journeying together.

With regard to school assemblies. In schools, children are learning how to live constructively in diverse communities. We can’t expect representatives of one group – be it a Church of Scotland minister or a humanist celebrant – to be the lead voice at all assemblies. The Head Teacher, taking into account the texture of the local community, invites appropriate visitors to lead reflections which help children develop spiritually, understand and respect people of different faiths rather than regarding them as enemies, and explore common goals.

There are many values which all people of good-will espouse – love, friendship, respect, integrity, justice, hope – and school assemblies are fulfilling their purposes if children are encouraged to seek these. Christians in school should be free to share their conviction that Jesus is the ultimate source of all these things, an inspiration and a source of strength.

It saddens me that some Christians regard as the enemy people of other faiths and none, and even other Christians.

Among much else, David Robertson is concerned about ministers being asked to assent to school equal opportunities policies before working with pupils. Mr Robertson fears that the intention is to ban from schools pastors whose views are not ‘politically correct.’ And indeed it would be a scandal were this the case.

But surely what’s meant is that folk leading assemblies accept that all children, whatever their background are valuable, that all good-hearted views, whether you agree with them or not, should be listened to and respected.

It seems to me that some of us need to grasp the equality which the gospel brings. We are all God’s beloved people; we all seek meaning; love is fundamental, including love for those with whom we profoundly disagree: this means accepting as fully Christian those whose honest reflection has led them to a more liberal or conservative Christianity than ours.

Professor Donald Macleod warns that if religion is driven ‘entirely from the public square’ there will be in public life no room for ‘loyalty to a higher power.’ With the greatest respect, I disagree. There would still be loyalty to God in the heart of every believer who seeks to further God’s values in their daily work. There would still be loyalty to God, albeit unacknowledged, in the decision of every good-hearted worker who chooses the way of integrity and grace. And this is no small thing.

The Spirit of Christ breathes over our nation, calling each one of us to a better way.

(Christian Viewpoint column from the Highland News dated 13th February 2014)