The Rt Rev Bill Hewitt told schoolchildren visiting the Church’s headquarters in Edinburgh on Wednesday that Scotland had to “stamp out” sectarianism.
The youngsters, from seven non-denominational and Roman Catholic schools in Armadale in West Lothian, are all involved in a project aimed at tackling sectarianism among young people.
Sectarianism in Scotland is most visible in the rivalry and violence found among fans of Glasgow’s two main football clubs, Celtic, supported largely by Catholics, and Rangers, with its mainly Protestant fan base.
Rev Hewitt spoke out against the murder of a young man in Belfast by bigoted factions following a football match between the two clubs, known collectively as the Old Firm.
He urged the youngsters to put their differences aside, saying he believed they had much more in common than they imagined.
“The Church of Scotland supports any effort to stamp out sectarianism,” he said.
“Communities are coming closer together but there is still some way to go.
“Young people have a very important role to play if we are to achieve a vision of a more tolerant and inclusive Scotland.”
The Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland have worked in recent years with the Scottish Parliament to eliminate sectarianism, commonly known as “Scotland’s shame”.
In 2002 the two Churches pledged to work together in eradicating sectarianism at the community level and urged their congregations to adhere to a charter drawn up by leading anti-sectarian charity Nil By Mouth, which asks the Scottish people to respect religious beliefs and celebrate cultural diversity.
In the same year the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland issued a formal apology for its part in sectarianism in the past and affirmed its support for “future moves toward a more tolerant society”.
