Church of Scotland Moderator Meets British Airways Over Cross

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Alan McDonald, has met with the General Counsel of British Airways over the cross debacle.

They met to discuss the recent controversy surrounding BA's refusal to allow check-in worker, Nadia Eweida, to openly wear a small cross, saying it was in breach of its uniform policy.

The Moderator found the meeting to be "both informative and helpful", the Church of Scotland said, and he was grateful for the opportunity to discuss the issues involved.

The Moderator noted that BA had been supported in their stance by both the Aviation Christian Fellowship and the British Airways Christian Fellowship.

He also appreciated the worries of British Airways that any relaxation of its uniform policy would make it harder in future to draw the line in other, perhaps more controversial, circumstances.

Nevertheless, the Moderator expressed deep concern at an apparent "inconsistency of approach".

"Just as not all Muslim women wear the hijab nor all Jewish men a skullcap, not all Christians wear a cross as part of their personal faith commitment," said the Church of Scotland.

"Simply because not all Christians express their faith in this outward fashion, however, should not imply that none may do so."

Rev McDonald asked BA to consider that the wearing of a cross is more than simply jewellery or decoration.

It was promised that this concern would be considered in further discussions.