First minister Jack McConnell has addressed the Church of Scotland's general assembly.

His address followed similar speeches by chancellor Gordon Brown and former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

But his audience was expected to use the event to question a number of his policies.

The detention of children at the Dungavel asylum centre in Lanarkshire and the Scottish executive's policies on curbing anti-social behaviour were predicted to be singled out for criticism.

But McConnell defended his stance on key issues of division between the church and government.

"I stand against violence and anti-social behaviour - not to condemn or stereotype people but to speak up for those who are the victims and who deserve more respect," he said.

"And I want to put respect - for ourselves and for each other - at the heart of communities in Scotland."

"It is the obligation of parliamentarians to create a justice system that articulates and responds to those core values," he added.

"That harm being done by one to another is wrong.  That disorder and anti-social behaviour - where a few make the lives of the many a misery - is unacceptable."

Although there have been calls for a full public inquiry into how the UK went to war in Iraq without the backing of the United Nations, the first minister made no reference to the issue in his address.