Church leaders sue Scottish government for criminalising in-person worship
The Christian Post reports that over two dozen church leaders in Scotland have joined legal proceedings against the Scottish government, demanding a judicial review of tighter pandemic lockdown measures that have closed churches for in-person services and "criminalised public worship.”
The church leaders argue in a claim for judicial review that the coronavirus regulations imposed by the Scottish government this month “are in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights [Articles 9 and 11] and the Scottish Constitution,” according to a statement issued by the London-based Christian Legal Centre.
The claim is filed by twenty-seven church leaders, including those from the Free Church of Scotland, the Church of Scotland and independent churches.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issued the regulation that took effect on the 8th of January. According to the legal group, the regulation makes it “a criminal offense in the highest tiers for churches to hold services in-person and, for example, to conduct baptisms.
The pastors also warned that the restrictions prohibit them from supporting the material, emotional and spiritual needs in their congregations and communities.
In the legal filing, the church leaders hold that public, corporate worship, involving the physical gathering together of Christians, is a fundamental and indispensable aspect of their religion. The leaders stressed that “in the absence of the gathered people of God, there is effectively no church.”
Source: christianpost.com
