Moderator calls for poorest to be focus of a new Scotland

                                                                                                                                                  Sunday September 21, 2014

THE Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has urged Scotland to “make the least and the last” the focus of a new united Scotland.

Preaching the sermon at a special post-Referendum service in Edinburgh today, the Moderator, the Rt Rev John Chalmers said: “Today after such a momentous time, I want to say that this is a time to unite and a time to walk together. The untold energy of people who love Scotland and care about its future has been used on opposite sides of this debate. Now we have to harness all of that energy, so it can be used on the same side.”

He added: “The eyes of the world are on us and the world needs to see us conduct ourselves with responsibility, with dignity and with maturity.

“Post referendum there are those who are elated or at least relieved and those who are desperately disappointed. Gutted is the word I have heard used frequently.

“Feelings like this will take time to heal. I want no one to think that I think there is a quick fix or an easy dusting down."

He said it would take a “force of magnamity and graciousness” to restore equilibrium.

He urged inclusion of all at the table on further discussions and emphasised the need to continue engagement with those voters who had previously been disengaged from politics.

He added: “Let’s make the least and the last the focus of our attention as we imagine Scotland’s future. We will have something to focus on.”

The service, which was led by former Moderator, the Very Rev Dr Finlay Macdonald at the historic St Giles’ Cathedral, featured readings by political leaders from the ‘Yes’ and ‘Better Together’ campaigns in a bid to heal and unite in the aftermath of the Referendum on Independence, which saw 55 per cent of voters in favour of remaining within the UK. Nearly 85 per cent of the electorate turned out to vote – the highest turnout in any election or Referendum in Scotland since 1951.

Setting the tone for the service as he welcomed political, spiritual and civic leaders, Dr Macdonald said: “It is in the spirit of reconciliation that we come now to seek God’s blessing on you, on our common life.”

Lessons were led by the Labour MP, Douglas Alexander (who read from Exodus 16) and the SNP Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney (who read from Matthew 20.)

Those in attendance at the service included the Lord Provost of Edinburgh Donald Wilson; the leader of the Better Together Campaign, Alistair Darling; Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander; the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Willie Rennie; the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson and the leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Johann Lamont.

Comments

Alistair Warwick - Wednesday, September 24th, 2014

“Very good, but perhaps Matthew 25:32-45 would have been more appropriate.”

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