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Religions Unite for Constitution Call

Monday April 7  2014

Scotland’s Churches and faith communities have united to call for the role of religion to be recognised in Scottish society, whatever the constitutional future holds.

At an Interfaith meeting convened by the Church of Scotland, it was agreed the Scottish Government’s intention to consult on a draft written constitution offers an important opportunity for the faith community to be heard.

An Interfaith conference is proposed at the Conforti Institute in Coatbridge this July to discuss the issues surrounding religion and belief in the current referendum debate and society at large. It is intended the conference will help inform responses to both the constitutional consultation and the wider political debate beyond the referendum.

Those present issued the following joint statement:

“Leaders from Scotland's Churches and faith communities are to discuss the place religion should have in any future written constitution proposed to the Scottish parliament. A draft constitution document is due to be released by the Scottish government this summer for consultation.
 
"A faith conference will now be held to frame considered responses to the various issues surrounding religion and belief in the current referendum debate and society at large.
 
"At a meeting, chaired by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland the Right Reverend Lorna Hood, representatives of Scotland's diverse faith traditions were united in the view that the contribution of faith to Scottish society should be properly recognised whatever the future holds. All the Churches and faith communities present agreed Scotland's diversity of religious belief is an important reflection of Scotland's wider society.
 
"It is intended the conference will help inform their responses to both the constitutional consultation and the wider political debate beyond the referendum. The conference will transcend political differences and any statements agreed will make no endorsement of either side in the referendum campaign.”

The Scottish Government intends to publish an interim written Scottish constitution in the form of a draft Scottish Independence Bill before the Scottish Parliament's summer recess. It will set out the foundations of an independent Scotland in the event the country votes "Yes" in September's referendum.

Those present at the meeting and endorsing the statement are:

Religious Leaders
Rt Rev Lorna Hood (Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland)
The Most Rev Mario Conti (Scottish Roman Catholic Church)
Rabbi David Rose (Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation)
Rabbi Moshe Rubin (Giffnock and Newlands Synagogue)
Allan Forsyth (Baha’i Council for Scotland)
Lama Yeshe Losal (Kagyu Samye Ling Buddhist Community)
Acharya Ji Mishra (Hindu Priest, Glasgow Hindu Mandir)
The Most Rev David Chillingworth (Scottish Episcopal Church)
The Rev John Chalmers (Church of Scotland)

Community Leaders/faith representatives
Sr Isabel Smyth (Scottish Roman Catholic Church)
Ravinder Kaur Nijjar (Scottish Sikh Community)
Ani Lhamo (Kagyu Samye Ling Buddhist Community)
The Rev Sally Fulton (Church of Scotland)
Ephraim Borowski (Scottish Council of Jewish Communities)
Nicola Livingston (Scottish Council of Jewish Communities)
The Rev Ewan Aitken (Church of Scotland)

Not present, but also endorsing the statement and the Interfaith conference, are the Muslim Council of Scotland and Imam Habib Rauf from the Central Mosque in Glasgow.


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