Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Official Report 613KB pdf

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Time for Reflection

Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader is Frances Hume, the development and education officer of the Scottish Inter Faith Council.

I first became involved in interfaith dialogue in 2004, when I attended an interfaith youth retreat on the beautiful Holy Island off the coast of Arran, which was hosted by the Scottish Inter Faith Council. I must admit that the thought of a weekend of dry theological discussion with serious minded religious youth did not exactly fill me with glee. However, I was pleasantly surprised that what I found instead was a group of enthusiastic and vibrant young people from all faiths who had a passionate commitment to making a positive difference in the world. Together, we planned a national interfaith youth conference that we entitled “Service above Self”, reflecting the various ways in which our faiths motivated us to care for our fellow human beings and the planet.

Watching the news as a young Christian teenager, I developed a strong awareness of all the things that were not right with the world. I was constantly bombarded by crises on a global scale, such as wars and environmental pollution. I developed an awareness of how closely we are all interconnected through our economic systems, trade and use of natural resources. Despite our advances, we remain fragile and vulnerable in the light of limited natural resources, damaged ecosystems and climate change.

Holy scriptures across the faiths encourage us to be stewards of the earth’s resources, to live simply and selflessly so that all can share in a fair and just society and world community. Interfaith dialogue reminds us that we are all interconnected, that we share common values and that, despite our different cultures and beliefs, we can practise what we preach and be a positive and united force for change in the world.

The Scottish Inter Faith Council brings together the religious leaders of Scotland to discuss pertinent issues, such as reducing climate change and homelessness. On Christmas day, religious leaders brought members of their communities together to help at a Salvation Army homelessness drop-in centre, which is evidence of how people of faith can be united for the common good.

I believe that we live in a crucial and exciting time in the earth’s history. Despite our weaknesses and limitations, we can decide how our actions will impact on the future of our world. Scotland is leading the way in both interfaith relations and climate change policy, and it is my vision that we can be a beacon of hope for the rest of the world and for future generations to come.