Church of Scotland

The Church of Scotland (CofS sometimes known as the Kirk) is the national church of Scotland. It is a Presbyterian Church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation.

Constitution

The Church of Scotland is Presbyterian in polity, and Reformed in theology. The most recent articulation of its legal position, the Articles Declaratory (1921), spells out the key concepts.

Related Topics:
Presbyterian - Reformed - Articles Declaratory - 1921

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Its basis of faith is the Word of God, which it views as being ?contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament?. Its principal subordinate standard is The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647), although here liberty of opinion is granted on those matters ?which do not enter into the substance of the faith? (Art. 2 and 5).

Related Topics:
The Westminster Confession of Faith - 1647

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As a Presbyterian church, the Kirk has no bishops, but is rather governed by elders and ministers (collectively called presbyters) sitting in a series of courts. Each congregation is led by a Kirk Session. The Kirk Sessions in turn are answerable to regional presbyteries (the Kirk currently has over 40). The supreme body is the annual General Assembly, which meets each May in Edinburgh.

Related Topics:
General Assembly - Edinburgh

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The chairperson of each court is known as the 'moderator' ? at the local level of the Kirk Session, the moderator is normally the parish minister; Presbyteries and the General Assembly elect a moderator each year. The Moderator of the General Assembly serves for the year as the public representative of the Church ? but beyond that enjoys no special powers or privileges and is in no sense the leader or official spokesperson of the Kirk.

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