‘Churches need to be open to minister to people’s eternal health’

On Thursday 11 and Friday 12 March, 27 Scottish church leaders will be taking the Scottish government to court to face a full judicial review hearing into the decision to ban and criminalise gathered worship during the current pandemic.

Rev. Dr William Phillip, pastor of The Tron Church in Glasgow spoke to Good Morning Scotland about why he’s taken up the case with other church leaders.

“It’s not just the closure of churches,” he explained, “it’s the criminalisation of Christian worship. To gather together is the very essence of what it means to be the Christian Church … it’s a serious constitutional matter as well as being a very basic and fundamental human right.” On whether church leaders were taking people’s safety into account, he replied: “It’s been very clear that churches are able to meet in a Covid-safe way … The most important health of the people of Scotland is their eternal health and the hope of Jesus Christ is the only hope in the face of death, whatever that death should come from. Our nation needs to have churches and places of worship open to hear that message which is the only truth in life and in death.”

11 March 2021
BBC Good Morning Scotland