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The Free Church of Scotland today voiced its concern over news that a secular body wants to ban the saying of prayers at Highland Council meetings.

In an interview with BBC Alba, the National Secular Society said there was ‘support for change’ in the Highlands.

Reverend Iver Martin (pictured above), the Free Church of Scotland’s media officer, said: “This is an unfortunate move and one more indication of the current hostility towards the Christian faith in public life.

“Secularists seem to have lost sight of the hugely positive impact which the Christian faith has had on civic life.

“What we need is a rediscovery of it, not its eradication.”

Highland councillor Ken MacLeod said the saying of prayers at meetings reflected the wishes of the electorate.

Mr MacLeod added: “It is not formally part of the meeting and is said before the calling of the roll.

“The people of the Highlands were once known as the people of the book, the book being the Bible, and we believe we should pay our respects to our maker when we pray to him.”

Last month Edinburgh City Council scrapped the saying of prayers during formal council meetings, replacing them with a “pause for reflection” slot.

Read the full article on the BBC website by clicking here.