VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

Faith groups to give evidence on Equal Protection from Assault bill

The Rev Peter Nimmo – tough questions about a difficult matter.

By Jane Bristow

A Kirk minister will tell the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights committee that Jesus would not have countenanced violence against children.

The committee will take evidence from faith groups today (Friday) on the Equal Protection from Assault bill, which would outlaw physical punishment of children.

The Rev Peter Nimmo will tell the committee that the Church of Scotland is supporting the proposed new law based on the Church’s report to the 2016 General Assembly, which found theological and humanitarian reasons to oppose physical punishment of children.

“Scripture constantly challenges social norms, both from the time when it was written and today,” Mr Nimmo said.

“Through scripture we are encouraged to ask difficult questions about how we live and are in the world.

“In doing this our primary example is Jesus, who consistently challenged violence and highlighted that children were central to world he called us to create.

“We believe that God would want us to give children the same protections as adults, ensuring they are able to thrive and flourish.”

The bill was introduced to Parliament last September by John Finnie MSP and is now under discussion. The committee has scheduled two meetings on Skye with churches and with the Humanist Society.  The meeting, which will be held at 4 pm in the Fingal Centre in Portree, will take evidence from two groups:

James Gillies, public policy assistant for The Christian Institute; the Rev. Gordon Matheson, a minister representing the Evangelical Alliance; and the Rev. Richard Ross, minister for the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) will speak in opposition to the bill.

Mr Nimmo, minister of Old High St Stephen’s Church of Scotland, Inverness, Church and Society Council, Church of Scotland; Mairi Campbell-Jack, Scottish Parliamentary engagement officer for Quakers in Britain; and Fraser Sutherland, campaigns and communications manager for the Humanist Society Scotland will give evidence in support of the bill.

The 2016 General Assembly report states:  “How we treat, love, nurture and discipline our children undoubtedly has profound and far-reaching implications for how they will live, behave and relate to others insociety as adults.  Arguably, if children have learned from the significant adults in their lives that violence is an acceptable response, then that is how they will respond. Jesus said,  ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God’.

“The task of making peace surely begins with the values we instil in our children and the examples we set.”

“In Mark 10, Jesus welcomed children being brought for blessing, even when adults objected, and rebuked those who would have prevented this from happening. Later in the gospels Jesus affirms that the Kingdom of God belongs to children.

“Such incidents significantly challenge and subvert conventional views about the status of children, their place within society and subsequent treatment.

“Within the New Testament especially we find the compelling suggestion that children are not merely adults in training, who are therefore in some sense lesser, but that they hold inherent value, worth and wisdom and that, accordingly they are to be cherished and enabled to flourish.

“We believe that in order for children to flourish and make a positive contribution to society, discipline is necessary.  However, the way in which parents and carers demonstrate this discipline will shape the way in which these children will lead their adult lives.  As Christians we look to the example of Jesus and the way he included children in his teaching.”

A body of research has found that hitting children can have a lifelong negative impact and is connected to aggressive behaviour in adulthood and reduced success in life as well as mental health challenges.