Past and present

At the beginning of the 20th century Scotland witnessed serious conflict between the different Christian denominations.  On the one hand, the Church of Scotland was seeking to find accommodations with the Free Church dissenters who had broken away, and with the newly resurgent Roman Catholic church. On the other, the polemic of leading members of all three churches tended to be antagonistic rather than ecumenical. However, the political authorities steadfastly refused to allow any one denomination to prevail, but held fast to a programme of reform, in which arrangements about elementary education were made that sought to be inclusive, rather than divisive. The refusal of the political authorities to be drawn into denominational bias was important.

At the close of the 20th century, relations between the churches of Scotland were easier than at any time in the past, symbolised by the welcome given by the Moderator of the General Assembly to Pope John Paul II in 1982, under the statue of John Knox. Since the 1950s, there has been steady growth in ecumenical co-operation. The Church of Scotland embarked on a far-reaching process of doctrinal reform. In 1986, the Church and Nation committee led the General Assembly into withdrawal of the clauses in the Westminster Confession of 1647 describing the Pope as 'anti-Christ, that man of sin, and son of perdition'. In 2002, the Church approved the report that repudiated their analysis of eighty years ago - The Menace of the Irish Race.

At a political level, the Scottish Parliament has sought to ensure that no religious denomination was privileged over others; for example, it has arranged for a daily 'Time for Reflection' to be led by representatives of every Christian denomination and of Scotland's other faiths and beliefs, both secular and religious.

Today, ecumenism, acceptance of other denominations, has, in the main, won over divisiveness. Interfaith dialogue is increasing as well as dialogue between those holding religious beliefs and those who are secular.

On 15th November 2005, to mark the 40th Anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the landmark document that launched a new positive relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, a historic reception was hosted by Cardinal Keith O'Brien. The speeches of Cardinal O'Brien, of Rabbi Rubin from the Giffnock Synagogue and of Sister Isabel Smyth OBE, former Director of the Scottish Inter-faith Council, demonstrate the growth of inter-faith dialogues and understanding.

This is reflected in the preponderance of governmental, commercial, and community organisations which are united in wanting to challenge any cultures of prejudice that would lead to the persistence of religious intolerance and discrimination in Scotland.