Imagine visiting South Sudan together with Pope Francis and the Archbishop of Canterbury. I recently was invited to a Presbytery of Clyde event at Paisley Abbey (pictured) where the guest speaker, Revd Dr Iain Greenshields, the current Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland gave the assembled company of Presbytery representatives and ecumenical and interfaith guests insights into just that.

The idea began when the government of South Sudan (not Sudan, which is one of the countries that borders South Sudan) invited the Pope to visit the country on a pilgrimage for peace and unity. The Pope wanted to accept the invitation, but was also keen to model good practice in line with the invitation that had been offered. Aware that the majority of the Christian population included significant numbers of both Anglicans and Presbyterians, alongside Catholics, he invited the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to join him for the visit.

So, Iain told us of a fascinating trip meeting the top officials of South Sudan, alongside the Pope and the Archbishop, and with a clear opportunity, and even invitation, to speak a message of unity. He told how in their final message to the government Justin Welby and he were encouraged to repeat the Pope’s own message of service, peace and unity.

A couple of interesting personal notes: my last time in Paisley Abbey was a little over 50 years ago, attending my last school service as a pupil of Paisley Grammar School; and it was good to have a brief conversation with the Abbey’s current locum minister, Revd. Jim Gibson. Jim and I were good friends and fellow classmates at the University of Glasgow’s Faculty of Divinity until we graduated – in 1977!

Paul Whittle