Pastor David Dickson: Omicron Must Not Become Another Excuse to Close Scotland’s Churches
At the weekend, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a return to face masks and self-isolation as the new Covid variant – Omicron – alighted on British shores[1]. A further six cases were identified in Scotland a day later[2] and as is standard practice, we Scots can expect even more stringent measures from a government which appears to thrive upon oppressing its citizens. It is, after all, almost one year since it imposed “unlawful” measures on churches by forcing their collective closure in Scotland[3].
As a local pastor in Dundee, I gathered with a group of other church leaders from around Scotland to draft a letter to the First Minister to raise our concerns after the decision to close was imposed from Friday 8 January 2021[4]. Almost 560 church leaders signed the letter from across the UK including over 200 in Scotland[5]. This letter prompted much media attention and was also raised at First Minister’s Questions although concerns were quickly dismissed and ignored.
Consequently, I felt compelled to join with 26 other pastors from across Scotland to bring a court action against the Scottish Government[6] and our church in Dundee was the only one to do so in our city. The legislative separation of church and state precludes political authorities from interfering in our affairs and, as a country with a rich Christian heritage, a minimum requirement should be to permit churches and their parishioners to freely worship God without dictation from the government.
As the letter which led to a judicial review intimated, this freedom is recognised under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) and under The Church of Scotland Act 1921[7]. This Act recognises the inherent right of churches to gather free from state interference. It was on this basis our case was presented at the Court of Session and was successful. Lord Braid ruled the Scottish Government’s actions were unconstitutional and a disproportionate interference with Article 9 ECHR rights[8].
The understanding of liberty is an important one. Liberty is not licence to do as we please – that is anarchy. Liberty, rather, is the correct application of law and the ability to shoulder responsibility. The first part has to do with good governance applied at all levels of society and the second has to do with mental strength. The Christian faith undergirds both and this has been a key feature in the development of Western civilisation.
Today, for example, we celebrate St Andrew’s Day. Our patron saint was one of Jesus’ disciples and earliest converts. In the first chapter of John’s gospel, he is one of the first evangelists and led his brother, Simon Peter, to faith. Evangelism is a cornerstone of our spiritual heritage in Scotland, as we sent missionaries like Mary Slessor from my own city, who became a pioneer of education and messenger of the gospel in Nigeria. Christianity is deeply embedded in our national DNA.
Mankind is both body and spirit. The health of the body can be a more obvious and immediate reality, but the health of the spirit is a no less pressing need. Particularly when we realise the body eventually dies but, as Christian teaching informs us, the spirit is eternal. We hear less about spiritual health nowadays but when translated into today’s vernacular of mental health we realise that, although the language has changed, the problem is very much the same.
The health of our nation has been tested as anyone who has contracted Covid-19 can confirm. How sick we get is often an indicator of how healthy our bodies are to begin with. For some whose bodies were already weak, this test proved too much and we commit their spirits to God. However, Covid tested not only our physical bodies but our spirits also. The sufferings of the past two years have tested our spiritual resilience and for many it has been found wanting.
We know where to turn when symptoms of sickness emerge in our bodies – we call our GP, visit a doctor or, when necessary, phone an ambulance. However, what do we do when we see the symptoms of spiritual sickness in society? People try many antidotes but there is no greater healer than Jesus Christ. In seasons of national breakdown, the spiritual doctors of our local churches are found, like Mary Slessor, binding up broken-hearted people and sharing a message of hope with the weary.
If you want communism, there is Venezuela or North Korea or if big state governance attracts you, you can visit China. If you want Hinduism, there is India and if you like the sound of Islam, why not try Iran? However, if you enjoy living in the west, I can confidently assert it has something to do with its Christian roots. You may not agree with the theological specifics but you embrace the remnants of a culture saturated in a deep Christian worldview, despite its fading influence.
A country that, therefore, during a time of national crisis makes the gathering of Christians illegal is a country detached from its roots and on a course to becoming as bankrupt morally as it is economically. As fears about the pandemic rise again on our approach to Christmas, which marks the birth of the most significant figure in global history, we cannot afford our political leaders drunk on their own self-importance, to wield their power once again in a realm within which they have no dominion.
Pastor David Dickson, National Executive Committee member, Restore Scotland
[1] Malnick, E. & Bowman, E. (2021) ‘Boris Johnson orders return to face masks and isolation to slow omicron variant’, The Sunday Telegraph, 28 November, Available at: Boris Johnson orders return to face masks and isolation to slow omicron variant (telegraph.co.uk) (Accessed: 30 November 2021)
[2] Author unspecified (2021) ‘Covid in Scotland: Six cases of Omicron variant identified’, BBC News, 29 November, Available at: Scotland expands vaccine rollout after six Omicron cases found – BBC News (Accessed: 30 November 2021)
[3] Author unspecified (2021) ‘Covid in Scotland: Places of worship can open now after court win’, BBC News, 24 March, Available at: Covid in Scotland: Places of worship can open now after court win – BBC News (Accessed: 30 November 2021)
[4] Ferrick, K. (2021) ‘Scots church leaders threaten legal action if places of worship cannot reopen’, Daily Record, 16 January, Available at: Scots church leaders threaten legal action if places of worship cannot reopen – Daily Record (Accessed: 30 November 2021)
[5] O’Toole, E. (2021) ‘Covid update Scotland: Church leaders write to Nicola Sturgeon about worship ban’, The National, 12 January, Available at: Covid update Scotland: Church leaders write to Nicola Sturgeon about worship ban | The National (Accessed: 30 November 2021)
[6] Lindsays (2021) ‘Letter: The closure of places of worship in Scotland’, 15 January, Available at: CC-Resource-Misc-Churches-Scotland-Lockdown-Letter-210115.pdf (christianconcern.com) (Accessed: 30 November 2021)
[7] Lindsays (2021) ‘Letter: The closure of places of worship in Scotland’, 15 January, Available at: CC-Resource-Misc-Churches-Scotland-Lockdown-Letter-210115.pdf (christianconcern.com) (Accessed: 30 November 2021)
[8] Davidson, G. (2021) ‘Covid blanket ban on church worship in Scotland ruled unlawful’, The Scotsman, 24 March, Available at: Covid blanket ban on church worship in Scotland ruled unlawful | The Scotsman (Accessed: 30 November 2021)