Christians and church leaders from a range of denominations in Scotland have united in opposition to what they call the “immorality” of possessing nuclear weapons.
Around 150 protesters gathered outside HM Naval Base Clyde, near Glasgow, which is home to Britain’s fleet of Trident submarines.
Among those present were representatives of Scotland’s three largest denominations, the Most Rev William Nolan, Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow and Bishop-President of Justice and Peace Scotland, Rt Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, who led the event.
The peace vigil was in recognition of the 80th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Japan in the closing days of the Second World War.
The bombing is still considered controversial today, with critics pointing to the 200,000-plus death toll, supplemented by the hideous consequences of radiation among the survivors. Supporters of the bombing however claim that the action compelled Japan to surrender, thus bringing the war to an end and saving countless lives.
One of the aims of the peace vigil was, according to the Church of Scotland, to come together “for prayer and reflection on the immorality of possessing nuclear weapons”. The protesters said that nuclear weapons were not just an abstract theory, but were still being used as diplomatic and strategic tools even today.
The Rt Rev Rosie Frew, addressing the vigil, said, "In the warring mess that is our world at the moment, the threat of the deployment of nuclear weapons is still being used.
"Yet here in Scotland, whilst we stand outside His Majesty's Naval base Clyde, which hosts Britain's nuclear deterrent, the Scottish Government and the Church of Scotland, along with many others, are against the possession never mind the deployment of nuclear weapons."
Rev Frew concluded her remarks with a call for peace.
"On this anniversary when we remember so much horror and destruction, when we look around our warring world today, we work and hope and pray for peace. We cannot hope for a world at peace if we cannot live at peace among ourselves," she said.
"Peace begins with you and me – our attitudes, our actions, the way we treat one another. In our homes, in our daily lives, in our communities, in our world. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with you and me."
