SW News: Recently, Scottish bishops made headlines when they said that a person's religious convictions should not exclude them from political leadership. As a result of this comment, a heated controversy has erupted, with some stating that it is vital to examine a candidate's religious views when determining their eligibility for a leadership post and others arguing that doing so is discriminatory and should be eliminated.
According to Crux, the bishops have spoken out against the political parties in the country for restricting the ability of MPs to vote according to their moral convictions. The Bishops' Conference of Scotland issued a statement in support of Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, after she was criticized for her leadership position within the governing Scottish National Party.
"We are especially concerned about political parties withdrawing legislators' conscience rights on morally problematic votes." These conformist practices limit freedom. "They undermine free and honest discourse and risk marginalizing minority groups," the bishops added.
The bishops cited Pope Benedict XVI, who cautioned against "marginalization" during his 2010 visit to the United Kingdom when he lamented the failure to recognize "the legitimate role of religion in the public sphere." Forbes said that she was "as guilty as anybody" and had avoided the issue out of "anxiety and a notion that the public would believe we just speak for ourselves and not for everyone."
According to the BBC, she argued that politicians should represent the interests of all citizens, regardless of whether or not they share those citizens' backgrounds or worldviews. To clarify, Forbes said, "I believe in Jesus Christ." I believe that Christ died for me and saved me and that it is my duty to serve and love Him, as well as to serve and love my neighbors with all I have. Hence, I feel this to be noteworthy. Before I became a politician, I was a human, and I continue to believe that I was created in God's image.
The bishops stated in the statement, "We echo these ideals and encourage our civic leaders to acknowledge the dignity of the human person and everyone's freedom to participate in civic life without discrimination based on their beliefs and conscience."
As of February 15, when Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation as First Minister of Scotland, Forbes was one of three contenders competing for the position. Forbes’s parents were missionaries, which made her spend most of her early childhood in India, and she is also a member of a church that adheres to a strict Bible interpretation.