Third of people in Scotland believe religious freedoms are being restricted

March 18, 2010

Nearly a third of people believe that religious freedoms have been restricted in this country over the past decade, a new survey shows.

The results came as an influential think tank warned that keeping religious voices out of public life "undermines democracy".

In a paper for the public theology think tank Theos, Roger Trigg, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick, called for more respect to be given to the right of religious freedom when it clashed with secular rights and principles.

He wrote: "A free society should never be in the business of muzzling religious voices, let alone in the name of democracy or feigned neutrality."

The professor added: "We also betray our heritage and make our present position precarious if we value freedom, but think that the Christian principles which have inspired the commitment of many to democratic ideals are somehow dispensable."

The survey conducted on behalf of Theos by ComRes found that 32 per cent of people believed religious freedoms have been eroded over the past ten years.

• Full story at the Daily Telegraph.

In Scotland Free Church traditionalists call

David Robertson said there was no need for new denominations


Traditionalists within the Church of Scotland could set up a new group with the Free Church, according to an author and pastor.

David Robertson said those with the same "theology and faith" could come together.

His comments follow the Church of Scotland's appointment of its first openly gay minister.

Last week, a minister resigned in protest over Scott Rennie's induction at Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen.

The Reverend Thomas Mackinnon told his Kilmuir and Logie Easter congregation, near Invergordon, of his decision to demit, or resign, his post.

Controversial scientist

Mr Robertson said rather than Church of Scotland members splitting to form another denomination, they could join with the Free Church.

But he said changes would have to be made.

He said some Free Church congregations may choose to lift a ban on the playing of music and singing of hymns during worship, but added that this would not mean sacrificing traditional psalms.

He said: "We don't ask people to be Free Church, we ask both the Free Church and evangelists within the Church of Scotland to become more Biblical and Christian and to work together."

Mr Robertson wrote a book, The Dawkins Letters, in response to controversial scientist Richard Dawkins' book The God Delusion.

The biggest split in the Church of Scotland and the forming of the Free Church of Scotland occurred in 1843.

More than 450 ministers walked out of the General Assembly in a row over the process of appointing ministers.

The dispute had its roots in the Patronage Act of 1712, which required ministers to be put into churches by "the patron", usually the local laird.

Until 1832 this had gone unchallenged.

In that year, the General Assembly decided that if a majority of male heads of local families objected to the patron's choice, they had the right of veto.

Ten years of legal argument followed before the House of Lords ruled that the Assembly's decision allowing the right to veto was illegal.

Those who accepted the Lords' decision stayed in the Church of Scotland and those who did not left to create the Free Church.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8172633.stm