Faithful observance of the Sabbath, or Lord’s Day, is embedded in the culture of Lewis and Harris.
According the Bible’s Ten Commandments, the Sabbath is a spiritual time for worship and rest from work and play.
In the past, islanders didn’t hang washing outside as a mark of respect for the Sabbath – and on occasions some church-goers even chained up children’s swings to help ensure peace and quiet.
Dr James Englinton is a a senior lecturer in Reformed Theology at Edinburgh University and has family from Lewis.
He said chaining swings had become a trope used by people who don’t understand island culture.
Dr Englinton added: “It’s very much projected on to that culture and that kind of stuff makes the Sabbath sound very dour, killjoy and weird.
“What you have on Lewis is a living example of a local culture that practices a day of rest as a community.
“On mainland Scotland people think that’s quite odd, but it’s a normal thing across continental Europe.”
