Church of Scotland

and some other churches

Brief History

1500s

Scotland's religion was Roman Catholic until John Knox created the reformed Church of Scotland in 1560.

The Church of Scotland was a Presbyterian churches.  In Presbyterian churches, there were no Bishops, and the congregation played an active part in the running of the church and election of Ministers.

This became the Established Church of Scotland in 1567.

Establishment meant recognition by the  Government as being the official church in Scotland.  However, some thought that Establishment had resulted in too much interference by the Government, and they broke away to form new churches.

1600s

The State attempted to introduce Bishops. 

The Covenanters objected and were persecuted.

However, Presbyterianism was restored in 1690.

1700s

1733 - The Secession Church broke away.

1761 - The Relief Church broke away

Both these break-aways occurred when the State introduced new rules for the election of ministers.

1800s

1843 - The Free Church of Scotland broke away.

This was by far the largest secession from the Church of Scotland, over 400 Ministers leaving the Church.

This was the event for which David Octavius Hill took many calotype photos as a basis for his painting.  It took Hill several years to take all his photos, and the painting was not completed until 1866.

The Disruption: Signing the Deed of Demission  -  1843

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1847 - The two churches that broke away in the 1700s  re-united  to form the United Presbyterian Church .

1900s

1900 - The Free Church and United Presbyterian Church united to become the United Free Church

1929 -  The United Free Church united with the Established Church of Scotland

When the Free Church broke away from the Established Church of Scotland, in 1843, it was David Octavius Hill, with a studio at Rock House, Calton Hill, who recorded the event in his painting above.

Eighty-six years later, it was Francis Caird Inglis, whose studio was also at Rock House, who recorded the lat General Assembly of the United Free Church of Scotland before the church united with the Established Church of Scotland.

The Last General Assembly of United Free Church - 1929

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The notes above refer only to the Church of Scotland and a few other churches that have featured in its history.

Other religions with less direct connections to the Church of Scotland history are excluded - e.g. Methodist, Baptist, Islam, Buddhism, etc.

Acknowledgement:  Dates above have been taken from an article on the United Free Church of Scotland web site, adapted from an article by Rev A Innes

Church of Scotland

Summary of break-aways and mergers

Earlier

1560

1567

1733

1761

1843

1847

1900

1929

Later

RCC

RCC

RCC

RCC

RCC

RCC

RCC

RCC

RCC

RCC

CoS

ECoS

ECoS

ECoS

ECoS

ECoS

ECoS

ECoS

ECoS

SecC

SecC

SecC

UPC

UFC

RelC

RelC

FC

FC

UFC

UFC

FCS

FCS

FCS

This table is my own summary of the Church of Scotland break aways and mergers.

Key to Table

CoS   = Church of Scotland

ECoS = Established Church of Scotland

FC     = Free Church

FCS   = Free Church of Scotland ('Wee Free Church')

RCC   = Roman Catholic Church

RelC  = Relief Church

SecC = Secession Church

UPS   = United Presbyterian Church

UFC   = United Free Church

RED = Official church

 GREEN = Other churches