Tuesday May 20 2025
Picture by Andy O'Brien/Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland’s public life and social justice team is to look into how churches can uphold truth and uprightness in the public square, and challenge misinformation and lies.
Moving the motion at this morning's session of the General Assembly, elder Marjorie Clark said “We are living in increasingly challenging times, when truth is hard to find… many of our right wing political leaders are taking advantage of these trends.” She added that a Kirk Session in the Presbytery of Perth had been so outraged by the treatment of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy by the US President and Vice-President that they had asked what the church was doing to uphold the truth and challenge lies. She added: “Jesus said ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ and this motion is encouragement to all to stand up for truth, call out misinformation… as we work towards peace, harmony and justice.”
Andy Morton, a retired science teacher, said that he had been disturbed by the number of his students who believed that climate change is a hoax. He said: “There are very powerful forces out in the world with major vested interests in pretending this isn’t happening and it’s making its way into the minds of our young people. It is essential that churches have resources and information based on thorough scientific backing to ensure that they can carry the message out into the world.”
In her speech, Emma Jackson, the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team’s vice convener leading the public life and social justice group, said that the feels more uncertain than ever before, with conflict, climate crisis, political instability, poverty in Scotland and across the world, and ‘the rise in populist political movements that point the finger of blame towards minority and the most marginalised groups’.
She said that the vision of the team was that the Church would be ‘empowered with knowledge, understanding and courage to respond to and pursue issues of social justice and public life both within the Church and in wider society, using our distinct Christian voice to influence policies and decision making’.
The church is to be encouraged to engage with a major anti-poverty march taking place in Edinburgh in October. Mrs Jackson said that it was hard to understand ‘in a just and compassionate society’ why support for disabled people was being reduced in the UK government’s welfare reforms. She urged church members to lobby their MPs and ask them to speak with disabled people in their communities.
Mrs Jackson also said that the group would consider a suitable response, with ecumenical partners, if President Trump visits Scotland.
The Very Rev Sally Foster Fulton encouraged the Church to look at the Society of Friends (Quakers) response ‘to say quite clearly as an ecumenical body and interfaith body that this is what we expect from our world leaders: honesty, compassion, equity, that we will treat people equally and with love at the heart’. She added: “When we speak and act together it has a power that we do not have when we speak alone.”
The Assembly noted progress towards the Church’s response to the legacy of slavery, which is due to be a full report next year, although a couple of commissioners called for the work to include a response to modern-day slavery.
After lunch, the Assembly heard from Nick Georgiadis, Director of Fundraising and Supporter Engagement for Christian Aid, which is celebrating its 80th birthday this year.
He told the Assembly: "Christian Aid is part of your DNA. You’ve continuously stressed that we are your agency… this is what true partnership looks like. We are so grateful for privileged access and unwavering support you give us. We don’t take it for granted."
The Moderator, the Rt Rev Rosie Frew, said that throughout her year, if anyone wished to give a gift, she was asking for donations to Christian Aid.
The Assembly agreed a motion "Giv(ing) thanks for all those who have been raised from poverty and injustice through the work of Christian Aid over eight decades, and for all those who have been supporters in the Church of Scotland; encourag(ing) congregations to continue to support the work of Christian Aid with international partners; and to use Christian Aid resources to participate in the 80th anniversary activities."
General Assembly 2025 - full coverage
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