Directory of Scottish Resources

Home > Society > Religion and Spirituality > Christianity > Church History > The Reformation > Reformed Reformation > Scottish

The first preacher and martyr of Protestantism in Scotland was Patrick Hamilton, a youth of royal blood, and for sometime a student at Wittenberg and Marburg, who was condemned to death by Archbishop Beaton, and burned at the stake. The movement gradually increased, in spite of persecution, especially after the rupture of England with the Pope, and was carried to a successful conclusion under the guidance of John Knox, the Luther of Scotland. He was a disciple and admirer of John Calvin, with whom he spent several years. He returned, after the accession of Elizabeth, to his native country, resolved to reform the Scotch Church after the model of the Church of Geneva, which he esteemed as "the best school of Christ since the days of the apostles." After a short civil war the Parliament of 1560 introduced the Reformation, and adopted a Calvinistic confession of faith, drawn up by Knox, Spottiswoode, Row, and three others (superseded afterward by the Westminster standards), and prohibited, under severe penalties, the exercise of the Roman Catholic worship. In 1561 the first Book of Discipline was issued, and gave the new church a complete Presbyterian organization, culminating in a General Assembly of ministers and elders. The mode of worship was reduced to the greatest simplicity. When the unfortunate Mary Stuart, of French education, tastes, and manners, and in no sympathy with the public opinion of Scotland, began her reign, in August, 1561, she made an attempt to restore the Roman Catholic religion, to which she was sincerely attached. But her own imprudences, and the determined resistance of the nation, frustrated her plans; and, after her flight to England (1568), Protestantism was again declared the only religion of Scotland.

Subcategories

• Knox, John
• Wishart, George

Resources in This Category

• Andrew Gray: The Youngest Puritan

  http://www.newble.co.uk/gray/
  Includes a biography, sermons and articles, and many Scottish Reformation links.

• John Knox: The Watchman of Scotland

  http://www.reformed.org/webfiles/antithesis/v1n3/ant_v1n3_knox.html
  An overview of Scottish Presbyterian history, concentrating on Knox's influence.

• Knox and the Scottish Reformation

  http://www.eldrbarry.net/heidel/knoxrsc.htm
  A large list of links to resources on the Scottish Reformation, as well as to many royalty of the time.

• Protestantism in Scotland

  http://whatsaiththescripture.com/Voice/History.Protestant.v3.b24.html#CHAPTER 1
  Volume 3, Book 24 of The History of Protestantism by J. A. Wylie.

• Scottish Confession of Faith

  http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/ScotConf.htm#PublisherIntro
  Written in 1560 by John Knox and 5 other ministers, this document was approved by the Parliament and became one of the landmarks of the Reformation.

• The History of Protestantism

  http://www.doctrine.org/history/HPv3b24.htm
  Book 24 of Wylie's work, covering Protestantism in Scotland.

Related Categories

• Home > Society > Religion and Spirituality > Christianity > Church History > Reformed > Presbyterian > Scottish
• Home > Society > Religion and Spirituality > Christianity > Denominations > Presbyterian > Church of Scotland

 

Home > Society > Religion and Spirituality > Christianity > Church History > The Reformation > Reformed Reformation > Scottish

 

---

 

Thanks to DMOZ, which built a great web directory for nearly two decades and freely shared it with the web. About us