The origins of Time for Reflection in the Scottish Parliament

On 9 September 1999 the newly elected Scottish Parliament decided that it would have weekly prayers which would take the form of cross-denominational and multi-faith prayers.

It overwhelmingly rejected the option of exclusively Christian prayers.

Motion S1M-131, was passed, which stipulated that; 

Time for Reflection will follow a pattern based on the balance of beliefs in Scotland. 

The aim is simply to reflect the diversity of beliefs in Scotland.

Tom McCabe, Minister for Parliamentary Business

Christian over-representation in Time for Reflection

Christianity has been considerably over-represented in Time for Reflection. According to 2001 census data Christians should have had 65 per cent of the appearances in the 14 year period from 1999. In fact they have had 76 per cent – an over-representation of 17 per cent.
If more recent data is used from 2011 social surveys by YouGov Christians should have had 54 per cent of places, reflecting the falling adherence among Scots to this religion. By this measure Christians have been over-represented by 41 per cent.
The Church of Scotland by conceding places to other Christian denominations and other faiths, was under-represented by 24 per cent according to 2001 census criteria but over-represented by 2011 survey data by 6 per cent.
The Roman Catholic Church was over-represented by both measures - respectively by 19 per cent and 46 per cent.  It had 89 appearances whereas statistically it should have had, by the same criteria, 74 or 60.
These two churches were key actors in the campaign for a Scottish Parliament and they got their rewards by shaping Time for Reflection and having major roles in it. This illustrates their closeness to power in the devolved system of government. They are regarded as 'strategic partners' by the Scottish Government (a quote by a Scottish Government civil servant) although latest survey data suggest that they have the adherence only of respectively 22 per cent and 12 per cent of the Scottish population.

The over-representation of non-Christian religions

According to the 2001 census for Scotland and 2011 social surveys (YouGov and the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey) non-Christian religions have the adherence of 2 per cent of the Scottish population. Yet they filled 13 per cent of all appearances in TFR from 1999 to the end of June 2013.

The 2001 census recorded 42,000 Muslims in Scotland. On a representative statistical basis a Muslim representative should have appeared at TFR about once every four years or on three or four occasions during the 14 years of TFR. In fact there have been 19 appearances - a degree of over-representation of a factor of almost 5 times.

If Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs, all of which had numbers of adherents in the 6-7,000 range recorded in a Scottish population of just over 5 million in 2001, appeared at TFR with due statistical representativeness, they would each appear at one of each of 833 occasions or once every 21 years. At the most, then, each of these faiths should have had one appearance in the 14 years of TFR to June 2013. 

But Jews have had 15 appearances, Hindus 7, Buddhists 11 and Sikhs 8

The considerable over-representation of these non-Christian faiths in Time for Reflection can seen as a measure of their disproportionate access to a major arena of power in Scotland and the degree to which members of the Scottish Parliament misperceive the people that they represent. 

A token atheist in Time for Reflection

Attention has recently been drawn to the appearance of the atheist A C Grayling at the Scottish Parliament's weekly Time for Reflection spot in April 2013.

This is invitation is mere tokenism.

In the debates that initiated this item of Scottish Parliament business in 1999 it was made clear that Time for Reflection (TFR) was meant to be representative of religion and belief in Scotland. Small minority religious groups such as Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and the Buddhist and Bahai'i faiths are, however, routinely invited - usually along with numerous Christian denominations but atheism and non-belief are not given due recognition.

On the basis of social survey evidence which shows that one in five of the population are firm atheists in that they do not believe in god or any other higher power, atheism ought to have much greater representation in the Scottish Parliament's Time for Reflection. Each year 6 or 7 of the annual 33 or so weekly slots available should be filled by atheists - more than are routinely made available to the Roman Catholic Church.

If Time for Reflection more accurately reflected the pattern of religion and belief in Scotland there would be less of the familiar religious denominations and more atheism and humanism. If MSPs rely on TFR, as it has occurred since 1999 with its distinct bias towards organised religious denominations, to get a picture for the pattern of belief among the Scottish population then they have been seriously misled.

It is to be hoped that when the 2011 census results on religion in Scotland are released  (and they will be at least two years out of date) the Scottish Parliament will make an major effort to ensure that Time for Reflection is more accurately reflective of the pattern of religion and belief in contemporary Scotland, rather than being a platform for favoured religious denominations.

THE SCORE

Number of appearances in Time for Reflection 1999- June 2013

Christians 353, (Church of Scotland 150, Roman Catholics 89),

Muslims 19, Jews 15, Buddhists 11, Sikhs 8, Hindus 7, Bahai'i

Humanists 2, atheist 1