Church of Scotland
Christians are invited to gather for a peace vigil to say loudly and clearly to political leaders “No to Nuclear Weapons”.The ecumenical event is being held outside the south gate of HM Naval Base Clyde, on Saturday, 2 August from 10.30am to 12pm to witness against the continued presence of warheads described as an “affront to humanity”.
Known as Faslane and located on the Gare Loch near Helensburgh, the facility is home to the Royal Navy’s four Vanguard-class submarines – HMS Vanguard, Vengeance, Victorious and Vigilant – which each carry Trident 2 D5 nuclear missiles. See picture at top of page.
Described as Britain’s nuclear deterrent and ultimate defence, they can be fired at targets up to 4,000 miles away.
Organised by Justice and Peace Scotland, the vigil is being held in the week of the 80th anniversary of the United States of America detonating two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 August and 9 August 1945, respectively.
It is estimated that 140,000 people in Hiroshima were killed and at least 74,000 people died in Nagasaki, leading to the Japanese government signing an instrument of surrender on 2 September 1945, ending the Second World War.
Rt Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly, is attending the vigil and said the Church of Scotland stands in solidarity with all those who work at Faslane in the service of the United Kingdom, while praying for peace in a world where there is no threat of nuclear weapons ever being used.
She will join Archbishop William Nolan, president of Justice and Peace Scotland, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Most Rev Mark Strange, and members of the Iona Community for an ecumenical service of prayer, reflection and hymns.
Speaking ahead of the vigil, Mrs Frew said: “The General Assembly in May 2025 re-affirmed the consistent position of the Church of Scotland in condemning the existence and threat of nuclear weapons.
“Our world is a very broken place at the moment, so much needless death and destruction.“My hope and prayer is to live in a world without war or the threat of war, a world without the threat of the deployment of nuclear weapons.
“On the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it seems right to stand with other Christians saying ‘No’ to nuclear weapons and ‘Yes’ to peace.
“I would encourage church members to come along, join in the vigil, and send a message to our politicians because there has to be a better way.
“I know opinion is very divided on holding nuclear weapons but I don’t believe anyone would ever wish them to be deployed, both those who will gather outside and those who serve in HM Naval Base Clyde.”
Organisers are encouraging as many people as possible to attend and a free bus service will be provided from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The Lothian Buses coach will arrive at Waterloo Place, beside Waverley Station, in Edinburgh at 7.30am and departs at 7.45am.
will pick up passengers in Gordon Street, Glasgow, at the front of Central Station, leaving at 9.15am.
To secure a seat, contact Justice & Peace Scotland
COMMENTS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA:
I think the church of scotland should stay out of political situations and start doing something to get more people inside church buildings to hear the Gospel of Jesus. Maybe if you did that, we wouldn’t be so worried about our places of worship closing.
To those who think we should concentrate on our churches, one of my favourite Desmond Tutu quotes is: ‘When people say that religion and politics don’t mix, I wonder which Bible it is they are reading.”
Hmmmm 
Did the 2 atomic bombings in Japan maybe saved lives with the Japanese surrendering?
Did the 2 atomic bombings in Japan maybe saved lives with the Japanese surrendering?There horrible weapons but there’s horrible people in this world that need a deterrence and there’s wonderful people in these Islands that need protected 
Is the C of S seriously asking for unilateral disarmament and the loss of the UK’s nuclear deterrent?
Remind me, how did that work out for Ukraine, who abandoned their nuclear missiles in exchange for a worthless promise of peace from Russia at the Budapest accord? Oh yes…
Been a long time since I was at Faslane with Helen Stephen of the Iona Community
Someone once said,”Suffer the little children to come unto me.” Can’t remember him saying “Let the little children suffer a horrific death in a nuclear catastrophe.”…
I think the church of scotland should stay out of political situations and start doing something to get more people inside church buildings to hear the Gospel of Jesus. Maybe if you did that, we wouldn’t be so worried about our places of worship closing.
To those who think we should concentrate on our churches, one of my favourite Desmond Tutu quotes is:
‘When people say that religion and politics don’t mix, I wonder which Bible it is they are reading.”
Hmmmm Did the 2 atomic bombings in Japan maybe saved lifes with the Japanese surrendering?
Did the 2 atomic bombings in Japan maybe saved lifes with the Japanese surrendering?There horrible weapons but there’s horrible people in this world that need a deterrence and there’s wonderful people in these Islands that need protected
Is the C of S seriously asking for unilateral disarmament and the loss of the UK’s nuclear deterrent?
Remind me, how did that work out for Ukraine, who abandoned their nuclear missiles in exchange for a worthless promise of peace from Russia at the Budapest accord? Oh yes…
This is rubbish. There is nothing Christian about a person’s position on nuclear weapons. Bombing Nagasaki and Hiroshima saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Would it have been more Christian to have fought through the jungles and then house by house through the home islands? Would it have been better to have had a hot war not a Cold War with the Soviets? This kind of bland happy clappy naivety is what puts people off the church. This has nothing to do with Jesus, it’s temporal politics.
What do readers of The Democrat think about this issue? There’s space to comment below this article.