Scotland

Talk given by Anthony Horan, 2024 interfaith Reception, November

 Lord/Lady Provost, Bishop Brian, faith leaders and friends, it is a pleasure to be with you here this evening at this annual interfaith reception.

A long, long time ago, when I was just a young lad, I think maybe 13 or 14 years old, I was playing golf at my local club. I had only just joined the club; my parents thought it would be a good idea as I was showing signs of promise at the game. It was my first proper outing with the other members of the club.

So, I went out and I am afraid to report that I played badly. It was awful and I ended up finishing last. If you Google the word ‘abysmal’ you will find a little summary of my performance that day at the top of the search items.

Now that was bad enough, but something else quite specific happened that day; and it has stayed with me ever since. A single moment that put me on edge, on guard.

I was desperately trying to make a good connection with the ball on one of the fairways (actually it was in the rough, I always ended up in the rough!) as another group of players were about to tee off from an adjacent tee. I mishit the ball a couple of times and at one point I looked up to see the other group of players having a bit of a giggle, as you would. Perfectly understandable given my comical efforts.

But, in a bit of a fluster and to try and make a joke out of the situation, and in my naivety, I then proceeded to cross myself as if to call on a higher power to help dig me out of my dire sporting predicament.

Now I think it is safe to say that the mood turned rather sour.

I had gone from an unthreatening, benign, figure of fun, to the enemy. And so, they hurled abuse, including the ubiquitous cry of “fenian b”, and, I think it’s safe to say that I was on edge for the remaining 15 holes of my round as a result of this incident.

In the grand scheme of things this is not a particularly serious event. I emerged unharmed, just a little psychologically bruised and with a fresh new awareness of bigotry and intolerance and the reality that I too could be the subject of it.

This little episode unearthed a sinister undertone of intolerance, discrimination and abuse when it comes to religion. And whilst the situation has undoubtedly improved over the years it still exists to some degree.

And, of course, it isn’t just Catholics who are on the wrong end of it. Other Christians, Muslims, Baha’i, Jews, Sikhs, Hindus and many, many more can be on the receiving end of abuse, and worse, simply because of their faith.

This is especially the case in other parts of the world where people are abused, some are oppressed, some are violated, some are even killed for their faith.

Here in the UK it is, on the whole, not too serious, but people can still be subjected to awful intolerance and discrimination on the basis of their faith. And sometimes it can get more serious.

But we know that this isn’t the way it ought to be. That is not how we in our faith communities are called to live out our lives. And we know there is a different path. A path which seeks a peaceful existence among those who may hold differing views, including differing views on the big important questions about life.

And I think that all of us gathered here tonight would agree that this peaceful way of life is something that we ought to aim for and, in many ways, it is something that we do experience to a large extent here in Scotland.

Now, wouldn’t it be lovely if I stood here and said that everything was rosy and that our various faith communities agreed on everything, and we all get along fabulously well all of the time.

Well, I think it’s fair to say that we do get along fairly well, most of the time.

But, as is often the case, there are challenging issues; ones that we will not agree on, that will highlight significant differences of opinion; elephants in the room if you like. And we ought to recognise these; we shouldn’t shy away from recognising them and addressing them.

Now, there are issues that are less contentious, I would say, like poverty, homelessness, and the importance of human dignity that we can all pretty much agree on.

But there are other issues which can highlight significant disagreement between faith communities and even within some faith communities.

For example, assisted suicide, or assisted dying (the terminology is very much dependent on your view). A highly emotive, sensitive, and fundamentally important topic that attracts plenty of robust debate and considerable disagreement. And this is one of those issues which causes disagreement within some faith communities too.

The issue of gender identity is perhaps another. Much disagreement on a deeply personal and sensitive issue.

And that’s just a couple of examples.

So, the picture isn’t one of unalloyed warmth and cosiness.

We don’t agree on everything. We have different perspectives on key issues, sometimes very different perspectives.

The tragic situation in the middle east comes all to easily and all to sadly to mind. The situation there is significant for all of us but more so for our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters. There will be differences of opinion on the social and political approaches to dealing with the conflict. There is justifiably a lot of emotion involved. And, as a result, there may be very strong, very strong, and robust disagreement. And that is fair. Because it is a very serious matter; a matter of life and death, sadly, far too much death, too many lives ruined, futures destroyed, no hope.

So, it is an issue that can evoke much disagreement, between nations, between cultures, between religions, and between individuals.

But despite disagreement and difference, here we are. Together.

Gathered together, talking together, breaking bread together. We are here, together.

And that is massively important.

Despite disagreement, we can be together. And we can talk, we can discuss, we can debate.

And that’s what we need more of in society, at every level in society.

Sadly, the effect of social media means that much of our social debate nowadays is played out online. Not face-to-face. And this can result in shaming, abuse, even threats of violence. All too easy to do from the comfort of sitting behind a screen without having to face the reality of one’s actions.

And all too often those perpetrating this are people who ought to know better. It’s not just young people as I am sure you know. There are adults too. And sometimes politicians. Far too often I have witnessed politicians bating one another in ways unbecoming of their office.

But thankfully I look around me this evening and I see people who refuse to get drawn into tit-for-tat online squabbles or who will engage in intolerance, discrimination, or abuse.

I see leadership. True leadership. Good leadership. I don’t know you all personally, some I know better than others, but I am absolutely confident that you are all people who want to secure peace and help those in need, most especially the poor and vulnerable.

And that is why it is so important for you to continue to be a good and positive example in your communities and to encourage others to do the same.

Let’s take the issue of poverty, in particular massive issues around homelessness in Scotland and a housing crisis which means many families, including many children have no permanent home here in Scotland. And this includes many people who have fled dangers in their homeland.

My parish priest recently told the story of his driving down to the church one day and seeing parishioners packing all sorts of stuff into the back of a car. Food, clothing, bedding, and all manner of bits and bobs. He went over to enquire what was going on and was told that an Afghan family had recently come to the town with nothing but the clothing on their backs and the local community were providing them with the basic necessities to get by. The dad in the family had been shot in the face in Afghanistan and the family had to flee for their lives. It’s a tragic story and one that is all-too-common, I fear.

But, despite their tragic circumstances and the fear they must have felt and having to leave their home, this family are probably quite fortunate. They are alive, they have managed to reach safety here in Scotland, and the local community is taking care of them. The local food bank has stepped up, the clothing bank stepped up, and parishioners have even approached the priest and thrust cash into his hand urging him to use it to help the family.

This story does not stand on its own. It is one of many.

And whilst on one hand this story is a sad one, it is also a heartwarming and hopeful one.

And I know that these little stories of love and hope are happening across Scotland, most especially in your communities. Because of you and the people you lead and support; the faith communities of Scotland are doing wonderful things.

So often we hear of vulnerable people, including many who are new to the country, approaching faith communities for help.

It is no accident that our communities are focal points for people in need. Historically you, and those who have gone before you, have been on hand to provide a warm place to rest, a hot meal and other food provisions, essential winter clothing, toiletries, nappies, prams, school uniforms, and general support and advice, and love. And that’s just a few of the things that you and your communities do to help those in need.

These desperate people need a focal point, and that is your communities.

If I may just close off with some personal experiences of working with faith communities in my own day-to-day work in the Catholic Parliamentary Office, (where I have been in post since 2016).

As you know, both the UK and Scottish Parliaments are currently considering proposals to legalise assisted dying, or assisted suicide. Now I know that there will most likely be different views on this issue in this room. Some faith communities are in favour, some are opposed, and there is also internal disagreement within some faith communities about whether or not it is the right thing to do.

It’s a particularly sensitive and emotive issue and one which needs to be handled carefully. I think that is one of the issues I have with the Bill in Westminster. Notwithstanding my own personal opposition to the principle of what is being proposed, I do not think that the time afforded to scrutinise Kim Leadbeater’s Bill (it was published just two weeks ago tonight) ahead of the vote on Friday is anywhere near sufficient. And, of course, it will only be a five-hour debate on Friday before MPs are asked to vote on it.

If you think about Brexit, which was a very significant constitutional matter; hours, days, weeks, months, even years were spent scrutinising the proposal to leave the EU.

And the issue of assisted dying is surely no less important. It’s literally a matter of life and death and ought to be subjected to the highest degree of scrutiny before parliamentarians are asked to vote on it.

But I am pleased to say that, in terms of both the Holyrood and Westminster proposals on assisted dying, I have worked closely with those faith communities who are opposed, including other Christian communities and the Muslim community, and we have effectively shared resources and knowledge to work on this issue.

We even held a joint event in the Scottish Parliament earlier this year, bringing together the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, an Imam from Dundee, and Bishop John Keenan of Paisley, to sign a declaration opposing assisted suicide.

And I have witnessed some excellent collaborative engagement between faith communities on issues around tackling child poverty, including a successful call for an increase to the Scottish Child Payment, and also calling on the Scottish Government to give social care workers fair pay.

Another example of working with faith communities came a few years ago with the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime and Public Order Act. You may recall that there was quite the hoo-ha about this legislation, in particular the potential to restrict free speech and free expression, including a vociferous challenge from the entertainment industry, specifically comedians, who were worried that their edgy routines may no longer be welcome in Scotland.

In terms of the religious angle, there was a fair amount that was noble about the legislation, but there were also some aspects of concern, including a broad and, in my view, ill-defined clause on inflammatory material which we in the Catholic community were worried might censor some of our teachings on beginning of life and human sexuality and marriage, for example.

In the end this clause was removed.

But during the many discussions and negotiations that were had between stakeholders, my own Church included, and government ministers and civil servants, we discovered all sorts of atypical alliances. At one point, in relation to one specific aspect of the legislative proposal, we, the Catholic Church and other Christian churches, were at one with the Humanists of Scotland. A most unlikely alliance I am sure you will agree. But there you have it; with God all things are possible!

And so, I think that is the tone on which I would like to draw a close to my little reflection this evening.

We have many differences, and we are mature enough to acknowledge these. But these differences do not prevent us from working together where there is common ground. And these differences cannot make us indifferent to one other and preclude the potential for working together.

Last year, during her reflection in this very room, Sister Isabel spoke about “going forth” as collaborators on a vast project to make the world a better place for everyone. The work of that project continues.

I recall that it was not too long ago that some of us sat around the same table with the First Minister as violence erupted in other parts of the UK. We all had one aim in mind at that gathering: to work together to maintain peace. Together. (that word again)

May we all continue to work hard and maintain a laser-sharp focus on peace and helping the most vulnerable across all communities in Scotland.

And your continued leadership is key to sustaining that peace.

We are a stronger, more effective, force for good, when we are together.

Thank you.