The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Bishop Mark Strange, joined faith leaders across Scotland in signing a joint statement calling on people of faith across the country to engage with, and pray for, the many community efforts that have sprung up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statement reads:
“We are living through unprecedented times and our local communities are finding ways of connecting and supporting each other. We are aware that Covid19 is beginning to affect people we know and people are anxious. It is therefore important that we all keep to the government advice, it will help save lives.
“These are also the moments when it is so important that we, the faith communities in Scotland, stand together. We all seek the wellbeing and peace of our people and we all also pray for the health and unity of our nation.
“We commit ourselves to mutual respect and to seek together those opportunities when we can offer ourselves to the service of the people and institutions of Scotland.
“We are praying for you and with you, may God be with us.”
The signatories were:
The Most Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt Rev Colin Sinclair, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Most Rev Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St Andrews & Edinburgh
Imam Sayed Razawi, Chief Imam, Director General, Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society
Rabbi Joseph Dweck, Senior Rabbi of the Spanish and Portuguese Sephardi Community of the United Kingdom
Rabbi Moshe Rubin, Senior Rabbi of Scotland, Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew
Rabbi Mark L Solomon, Rabbi of Sukkat Shalom: Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community
Revd Mark Slaney, The Chair of the Methodist Church in Scotland
Rev. Dr. David Pickering, Moderator United Reformed Church National Synod of Scotland
Mr Puneet Dwivedi, Vice President- Hindu Forum of Britain & Joint Secretary of Edinburgh Hindu Mandir
Mr Allan Forsyth on behalf of the Bahá’í Community of Scotland
Dr. Maureen Sier, Director of Interfaith Scotland