From the Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane,
Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Sir, - Paul Vallely (Comment, 29
August) makes important points about the Scottish Independence
Referendum.
Whatever the outcome of the vote, two things seem set to
continue. Whether independent or not, the Scottish government will
continue to acquire more powers. The Calman Commission of 2009 made
clear the appetite of the Scottish population for more devolution.
But, whether independent or not, Scotland will also continue to be
a member of the close-knit community of nations of the British
Isles.
Mr Vallely is correct in suggesting that the independence debate
does not do justice to the sublety of those tensions and balances.
Remarkably little is heard about the institutions that will need to
be put in place to manage those continuing relationships. One
person's self-determination can indeed become another's
self-absorption.
I cannot with Pope Francis say that "All division worries me,"
and I think that the Scots are entitled to test their
distinctiveness. But my experience in Ireland leaves me ever
cautious about the concept that any of us has purity of identity.
It is better, I think, to honour the subtleties by defining one's
identity in dual terms. Hence I regard my identity as Irish-British
- which is, of course, different from British-Irish.
DAVID CHILLINGWORTH
28 Balhousie Street, Perth PH1 5HJ