Scotland

:For other uses, see Scotland (disambiguation). See also British Isles (terminology).

Religion

The Church of Scotland (sometimes referred to as The Kirk) is the national Church, although it is the established Church, it is not subject to state control. It differs from the Church of England in that it has a Presbyterian form of church governance. The Scots are proud of the fact that the Scottish Reformation took place at a grassroots level, unlike the English experience, where the Reformation, at least in its first thrust under Henry VIII, was a politically motivated top-down reform.

Related Topics:
Church of Scotland - Established - Church of England - Presbyterian - Reformation - Henry VIII

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The Scottish Reformation, initiated in 1560 and led by John Knox, was Calvinist, and throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Church of Scotland maintained a strict theology and kept a tight control over the morality of the population. The Church had an overwhelming influence on the cultural development of Scotland in early modern times. Because Calvinism does not adhere to the Liturgical Year, for example, Christmas was not widely celebrated in Scotland until the mid-20th century. The intellectual nature of Calvinism contributed greatly to the predominance of Scottish thinkers in the age of Enlightenment (see Scottish Enlightenment), but the Church's distrust of the sensual is seen as the reason why Scotland contributed little to classical music and art before the 19th century. Since the mid-19th century, however, the Church of Scotland has developed into a generally tolerant and heterogenous church with an interest in ecumenism.

Related Topics:
1560 - John Knox - Calvinist - Church of Scotland - Liturgical Year - Age of Enlightenment - Scottish Enlightenment - Ecumenism

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A number of other Christian denominations exist in Scotland, foremost amongst them Roman Catholicism, which survived the reformation especially on islands like Uist and Barra despite the suppression of the 16th to late 18th centuries, and was strengthened in the 19th century by immigration from Ireland. It has now become the largest Christian denomination after the Church of Scotland, and is strongest in the West of Scotland (although roadside shrines can be seen in the South Isles of the Outer Hebrides, similar to those in Ireland). Much of Scotland (particularly the West Central Belt around Glasgow) has experienced problems caused by the religious divide between Presbyterians and Roman Catholics. Some Scots maintain that sectarianism is still deeply rooted in Scottish society. This problem has historically manifested itself in a number of ways, particularly in discrimination in employment and in football fanaticism. The problems associated with sectarianism in Scotland have diminished markedly in recent years, although some issues remain. The Scottish police have recently moved to restrict the number of Orange Order parades and the state funding of separate Roman Catholic primary and secondary schools remains a controversial issue.

Related Topics:
Christian - Denomination - Roman Catholicism - Uist - Barra - 16th - 18th - 19th century - Immigration - Ireland - Shrine - Sectarianism - Orange Order - Discrimination - Sectarianism

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As well as the Church of Scotland there are various other Protestant churches, including the Scottish Episcopal Church, which forms a full part of the Anglican Communion, and the Free Church of Scotland, a Presbyterian off-shoot from the Church of Scotland. Islam is the largest non-Christian religion in Scotland, although its numbers remain small. There are also significant Jewish and Sikh communities, especially in Glasgow. Scotland has a high proportion of persons who regard themselves as belonging to 'no religion'. Indeed, this was the second most common response in the 2001 census. The Roman Catholic Church now claims to be the largest church in Scotland, with 650,000 people baptised, though attendance at its churches is not high http://www.stpeters-dundee.org.uk/widerchurch.htm.

Related Topics:
Protestant - Scottish Episcopal Church - Anglican - Free Church of Scotland - Islam - Religion - Jewish - Sikh - Roman Catholic Church - Baptise

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