We should be worried about divisions in society, says Kirk’s next moderator

“I think we should all be worried about divisions in our society”, the Church of Scotland’s next moderator has warned.

Speaking to the PA news agency on the day he was named moderator-designate of the Kirk’s General Assembly, the Reverend Gordon Kennedy said there was a need for all communities to “listen respectfully to one another”.

He described the recent increase in antisemitism and Islamophobia as “a deeply troubling situation in our nation and our communities”, and said the church was “committed” to promoting social harmony and inclusion.

He added that while communities needed to “acknowledge points where (they) disagree”, they should do this “respectfully, without resorting to violence or abuse of any kind”.

“I think we should all be worried about the divisions in our society,” he said.

“History has shown us that communities which appear stable can very quickly destabilise and fall into violence.

“I think being worried about the divisions in our community is a sign of care for our community.

“We’re not ignorant of the fact that there are tensions, and we are serving in our community to try and defuse those tensions and promote harmony and good relationships between folks in our communities.”

He said part of the problem was that conversations often take place “in public through open forums”, which he said meant people “feel they have to represent their own opinion as stridently as they can.”

He said “closed-door conversations” between communities, where leaders “get round a table with a cup of coffee and a biscuit and have a respectful conversation” would help foster a more respectful public debate.

The 62-year-old will succeed the Right Reverend Rosie Frew when her term comes to an end in May.

As moderator, Mr Kennedy will act as an ambassador for the church in Scotland and around the world over the next year.

Asked about the church’s position on the conflict in Gaza, where a fragile ceasefire is currently in place, Mr Kennedy said the church had “a role to play” in helping ensure it becomes a lasting peace.

“We need to be thankful for every hour when a ceasefire holds, because that’s another hour when there are no more victims of bombs or rockets or wars,” he said.

“What Christian communities in Scotland and elsewhere in the world can do is… support the work of relationship-building, awareness-raising and good community communication in these areas where we have a presence.

“We certainly need to acknowledge that we have a role to play, both in prayer, but also in encouraging and promoting any kind of conversation and communication between the Israelis and the Palestinians, to nurture this ceasefire, and hopefully to see that grow into a just and lasting peace for for all parties.

He also thanked those who had worked on the current ceasefire agreement, but said more was needed to ensure it holds.

“Please don’t mistake this for the end of a journey, there is much work still to be done as we move towards a just and lasting peace for the two communities in Israel and Palestine,” he said.

“Be assured of our prayers and support for you as you continue to have conversations at that international level to work towards a just and lasting peace.”

Rev Kennedy became a member of the church in 1981, and has served as the minister of Craiglockhart Parish Church since 2012.

He acknowledged the myriad challenges the church faces in 2025, including: declining membership, ageing congregations and growing financial pressures, and said there are “difficult decisions to be made”.

“We’re not pretending that we are where we were 50 years ago,” he said.

“We’re having deep and difficult conversations about how we can continue to serve our communities in Scotland.

“We pray that we’ll be able to do that for many years to come.”

He added that the church is not alone in facing financial pressures, and that “every individual, every family, every charity or company in Scotland” is feeling the pinch.

“The church is not unique in this financial time and the situation we’re in. We are being open about our situation,” he said.

“There are difficult decisions to be made. We will meet them together.”