94-606: Fraserburgh Old Parish Church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland in Fraserburgh , Aberdeenshire. The present building was erected in 1803 at the head of the High Street, on the site of a 16th-century church. The church is a category B listed building . The church was founded in 1571 in the village of Faithlie which was soon to be built up into the town of Fraserburgh by the local landowner, Sir Alexander Fraser. The church itself
188-532: A Lord High Commissioner unless they choose to attend in person; the role is purely formal, and the monarch has no right to take part in deliberations. The church is committed to its 'distinctive call and duty to bring the ordinances of religion to the people in every parish of Scotland through a territorial ministry' (Article 3 of its Articles Declaratory ). The church played a leading role in providing universal education in Scotland (the first such provision in
282-600: A GA in May 2021, a draft plan might still be being considered by commissioners prior to being shared with all presbyteries for their consideration under the Church of Scotland's Barrier Act 1697 and being brought back to a future General Assembly. On 23 May 2022 the GA voted in favour of same-sex marriage with 274 for and 136 against. Clergy will be allowed to conduct the marriages but will not be forced to. Many church congregations and clergy affirm
376-699: A distinct change from attitudes in certain quarters of the church in the early twentieth century and before, when opposition to Irish Roman Catholic immigration was vocal (see Catholicism in Scotland ). The Church of Scotland is a member of the World Council of Churches , the Conference of European Churches , the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe , and the World Communion of Reformed Churches . The Church of Scotland
470-531: A major impact on his future work as a stained-glass artist. The two windows Strachan completed in 1900 after his return from Europe, show the influence of the art he studied on his tour and also his growing interest in stained glass of the Arts and Crafts movement . Jesus Blessing Children (1900), South Church, St Mark's, Aberdeen and Christ in Glory and Evangelists (901), St James Episcopal Church, Aberdeen, both represent
564-608: A new grouping of congregations within the church was begun "to declare their clear commitment to historic Christian orthodoxy", known as the Fellowship of Confessing Churches . In May 2011, the GA of the Church of Scotland voted to appoint a theological commission with a view to fully investigating the matter, reporting to the General Assembly of 2013. Meanwhile, openly homosexual ministers ordained before 2009 would be allowed to keep their posts without fear of sanction. On 20 May 2013,
658-505: A privileged claim for possession of a particular territory". The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities sharply criticised the report, describing it as follows: "It reads like an Inquisition-era polemic against Jews and Judaism. It is biased, weak on sources, and contradictory. The picture it paints of both Judaism and Israel is barely even a caricature. The arrogance of telling the Jewish people how to interpret Jewish texts and Jewish theology
752-475: A stained-glass studio-workshop in Edinburgh. The added stress of working on his own stained glass commissions while teaching and acting as department head led Strachan to resign his position at the school in 1911. From 1911 until he retired in the 1940s, Strachan worked primarily on stained glass commissions. Around 1928 he bought Pittendreich House, just outside Lasswade , a few miles south of Edinburgh. The house
846-797: Is anti-abortion , stating that it should be allowed "only on grounds that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve serious risk to the life or grave injury to the health, whether physical or mental, of the pregnant woman." The Church of Scotland also opposes euthanasia : "The General Assembly has consistently stated that: 'the Christian recognises no right to dispose of his own life even although he may regard those who commit or may attempt to commit suicide with compassion and understanding rather than condemnation'. The church has frequently stressed its opposition to various attempts to introduce legislation to permit euthanasia, even under strictly controlled circumstances as incompatible with Christianity." The church
940-754: Is nec tamen consumebatur ( Latin )—"Yet it was not consumed", an allusion to Exodus 3:2 and the Burning Bush . In 2023, the Church of Scotland published a report which detailed its connections to the Atlantic slave trade . It noted that from 1707 to the 1830s, Church of Scotland ministers and elders inherited wealth from familial relatives which were made on West Indian slave plantations and numerous church buildings (including Glasgow Cathedral ) contain memorials to and accepted donations from individuals who profited from slavery. The report also noted that enslaved Black people were used to build Church of Scotland churches in
1034-527: Is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland . It is one of the country's largest, having 259,200 members in 2023. While active membership in the church has declined significantly in recent decades (in 1982 it had nearly 920,000 members), the government Scottish Household Survey found that 20% of the Scottish population, or over one million people, identified
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#17328631110641128-646: Is a member of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and, through its Presbytery of England, is a member of Churches Together in England . The Church of Scotland continues to foster relationships with other Presbyterian denominations in Scotland even where agreement is difficult. In May 2016 the Church of Scotland ratified the Columba Agreement (approved by the Church of England's General Synod in February 2016), calling for
1222-459: Is associated with the Care Not Killing organisation in "Promoting more and better palliative care./ Ensuring that existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide are not weakened or repealed during the lifetime of the current Parliament./ Influencing the balance of public opinion further against any weakening of the law." Historically, the Church of Scotland supported the death penalty;
1316-684: Is breathtaking." The report was also criticised by the Anti-Defamation League and the Israeli envoy to the United Kingdom. In response to criticism, the church quickly replaced the original version with a modified one, stating that criticism of Israel's policies toward the Palestinians "should not be misunderstood as questioning the right of the State of Israel to exist". The Church of Scotland
1410-536: Is celebrated once a month. Theologically, the Church of Scotland is Reformed (ultimately in the Calvinist tradition) and is a member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches . The Church of Scotland is a member of ACTS ( Action of Churches Together in Scotland ) and, through its Committee on Ecumenical Relations, works closely with other denominations in Scotland. The present inter-denominational co-operation marks
1504-651: Is chaired by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland . According to traditional Scottish historiography, the first Christians in Scotland were converted by Saint Ninian around 400 AD. Early Christian missionaries included Saint Columba , who founded a mission at Iona two centuries later. In 1192, the Papal bull Cum universi separated the Scottish church from the Archbishopric of York , creating an independent national church with no higher authority except
1598-566: Is conducted by the parish minister, participation and leadership by members who are not ministers in services is becoming more frequent, especially in the Highlands and the Borders. In common with other Reformed denominations, the church recognises two sacraments : Baptism and Holy Communion (the Lord's Supper ). The church baptises both believing adults and the children of Christian families. Communion in
1692-717: Is considered the most significant Scottish designer of stained glass windows in the 20th century. He is best known for his windows at the Peace Palace in The Hague , Netherlands, at Edinburgh's Scottish National War Memorial and in cathedrals and churches throughout the United Kingdom. He is also known for his paintings, murals, and illustrations. Strachan was born in Aberdeen in 1875. He studied art at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen from 1893 to 1894 while he worked as an apprentice to
1786-403: Is granted on those matters "which do not enter into the substance of the faith" (Art. 2 and 5). (The 19th century Scottish distinction was between ' evangelicals ' and ' moderates '.) There is no official document in which substantial matters and insubstantial ones are clearly demarcated. The Church of Scotland has no compulsory prayer book , although it does have a hymn book (the 4th edition
1880-494: Is normally no sung or responsive liturgy, but worship is the responsibility of the minister in each parish, and the style of worship can vary and be quite experimental. In recent years, a variety of modern song books have been widely used to appeal more to contemporary trends in music, and elements from alternative liturgies including those of the Iona Community are incorporated in some congregations. Although traditionally worship
1974-857: The Aberdeen Free Press as a lithographer. He later studied art at the Life School of the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh from 1894 to 1895. From 1895 to 1897, Strachan worked in Manchester as a black and white artist on several newspapers, and as a political cartoonist for the Manchester Evening Chronicle . Strachan learned to work in stained glass in 1898–1899, while in Manchester, probably studying with Walter Williams, of
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#17328631110642068-506: The Disruption of 1843 when a large portion of the church broke away to form the Free Church of Scotland . The seceding groups tended to divide and reunite among themselves—leading to a proliferation of Presbyterian denominations in Scotland, as is demonstrated in the timeline above. The UK Parliament passed the Church of Scotland Act 1921 , finally recognising the complete independence of
2162-564: The Journal of Stained Glass , stained glass historian and author Peter Cormack proposed that "there is probably no British stained glass artist who could match Strachan's ability to draw with lead". Strachan, a contemporary of Harry Clarke (1889–1931) in Ireland and Christopher Whall in England, is seen as one of the three most important stained glass artists working in Great Britain and Ireland at
2256-581: The Revolution of 1688 , Presbyterianism was restored as Scotland's established church. Just as in 1600, Fraserburgh had the wrong kind of minister in the pulpit. Furthermore, the people of the town seemed to have no love for the Presbyterian form of Church Government. The Episcopal Minister was allowed to hold his charge until his death - as was agreed in the Scottish Constitution of 1688. The minister at
2350-725: The Scottish Episcopal Church . Most of the remaining Covenanters disagreed with the Restoration Settlement on various political and theological grounds, most notably because the Settlement did not acknowledge the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant, also did not join the Church of Scotland, instead forming the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1690. Controversy still surrounded
2444-659: The Scottish Parliament in 1997. Indeed, from 1999 to 2004 the Parliament met in the church's Assembly Hall in Edinburgh, while its own building was being constructed. The Church of Scotland supports the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office in Edinburgh, an ecumenical partnership which is staffed and resourced by the Church. Since 1968, all ministries and offices in the church have been open to women and men on an equal basis. In 2004, Alison Elliot
2538-605: The 'plainness' of the Scottish service, he, together with his Archbishop of Canterbury , William Laud , sought to introduce the kind of liturgical practice in use in England. The centrepiece of this new strategy was the Scottish Prayer Book of 1637 , a slightly modified version of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer . Although a panel of Scottish bishops devised this, Charles's insistence that it be drawn up secretly and adopted sight unseen led to widespread discontent. When
2632-411: The 2011 national census, 32% of Scots identified their religion as "Church of Scotland", more than any other faith group, but falling behind the total of those without religion for the first time. However, by 2013 only 18% of Scots self-identified as Church of Scotland. Though according to the 2014 Scottish Annual Household Survey, 27.8%, or 1.5 million adherents, identified the Church of Scotland as
2726-513: The Badminton Club; Boys' Brigade (with band); Covenanters; Girls' Brigade ; Junior Choir; as well as Sunday School groups. There are social groups for adults also. The Rev. Clyne demitted office in 2004, and a three-year vacancy (under Rev. George S. Noble) ensued. Rev. Peter B. Park was inducted in November 2007 and oversaw the development of a hand bell group (The Clangers) which was founded in
2820-501: The Bible supports an essentially Jewish state of Israel. This raises an increasing number of difficulties and current Israeli policies regarding the Palestinians have sharpened this questioning", and that "promises about the Land of Israel were never intended to be taken literally". The church responded to criticism by saying that "The Church has never and is not now denying Israel's right to exist; on
2914-454: The Church of Scotland as their religious identity in 2019. The Church of Scotland's governing system is presbyterian in its approach, therefore, no one individual or group within the church has more or less influence over church matters. There is no one person who acts as the head of faith, as the church believes that role is the "Lord God's". As a proper noun , the Kirk is an informal name for
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3008-680: The Church of Scotland in 1929), the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (which broke from the Free Church of Scotland in 1893), the Associated Presbyterian Churches (which emerged as a result of a split in the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in the 1980s) and the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) (which emerged from a split in the Free Church of Scotland in 2000). The motto of the Church of Scotland
3102-600: The Church of Scotland paid £1 million in damages to three siblings who had been abused at the Lord and Lady Polwarth children's home. The basis of faith for the Church of Scotland 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
3196-445: The Church of Scotland today is open to Christians of whatever denomination, without precondition. If baptised as an infant, one is expected to make the public profession of faith as part of a confirmation ceremony. Communion services are usually taken fairly seriously in the church; traditionally, a congregation held only three or four per year, although practice now greatly varies between congregations. In some congregations, communion
3290-643: The Church of Scotland used in the media and by the church itself. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox in the Reformation of 1560 when it split from the Catholic Church and established itself as a church in the Reformed tradition. The church belongs to the Presbyterian tradition of Reformed Christianity (Calvinism), having no head of faith or leadership group and believing that God invited
3384-639: The Church. In November 1638, the General Assembly in Glasgow, the first to meet for twenty years, not only declared the Prayer Book unlawful but went on to abolish the office of bishop itself. The Church of Scotland was then established on a Presbyterian basis. Charles' attempt to resist these developments led to the Bishops' Wars . In the ensuing civil wars , the Scots Covenanters at one point made common cause with
3478-626: The English parliamentarians—resulting in the Westminster Confession of Faith being agreed by both. This document remains the subordinate standard of the Church of Scotland but was replaced in England after the Restoration . Episcopacy was reintroduced to Scotland after the Restoration, which caused considerable discontent, especially in the country's southwest, where the Presbyterian tradition
3572-488: The GA voted in favour of a proposal that allowed liberal parishes to opt out of the church's policy on homosexuality. Since 2008, 25 out of 808 (3%) ministers had left over the issue. It was reported that seceding congregations had a combined annual income of £1 million. In 2015, the Church of Scotland's GA voted in favour of recommending that gay ministers be able to enter into same-sex marriages. and allowing pastors to enter in same-sex civil partnerships. On 21 May 2016,
3666-443: The GA voted in favour of the approval for gay and lesbian ministers to enter into same-sex marriages. In 2017, there was a report to be debated at the church's General Assembly in May that proposed "having a church committee research allowing nominated ministers and deacons to carry out the ceremonies, but...to retain the ability for 'contentious refusal' from those opposed to same-sex marriage." A Theological Forum report calling for
3760-607: The General Assembly created a Church and Nation Committee, which in 2005 became the Church and Society Council , and in 2019 merged with the World Mission Council to create the Faith Impact Forum. The Church of Scotland is a firm opponent of nuclear weaponry . Supporting devolution , it was one of the parties involved in the Scottish Constitutional Convention , which resulted in the setting up of
3854-494: The General Assembly once called for the "vigorous execution" of Thomas Aikenhead , who was found guilty of blasphemy in 1696. Nowadays, the church strongly disapproves of the death penalty: "The Church of Scotland affirms that capital punishment is always and wholly unacceptable and does not provide an answer even to the most heinous of crimes. It commits itself to working with other churches and agencies to advance this understanding, oppose death sentences and executions and promote
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3948-455: The General Assembly voted in favour of permitting the church's clergy to conduct same-sex marriages. In May 2009, there was opposition to an attempt to install as minister an openly homosexual man who intended to live with his partner once appointed to his post. In a landmark decision on 23 May 2009 the General Assembly (GA) ratified by 326 to 267 the appointment of Scott Rennie , the church's first out, non-celibate gay minister. Rennie had won
4042-702: The King he was imprisoned in Doune Castle for a year. In 1607 he was summoned before the Privy Council , and was sentenced to confinement on the Isle of Bute , where he was imprisoned for nearly three years. He was restored to his parish in 1609, where he died in 1617. After his death, the Kirk slipped into the Episcopal form of Church Government. Not much is recorded about the Kirk over the next century. Events seem abnormally quiet for
4136-425: The Kirk in the 18th century, a new church building was erected on the site of the old building in 1802/3 in the ministry of Rev. Alexander Simpson. This building is in use to date, although the interior has been extensively renovated several times since. In 1843 Fraserburgh Old emerged relatively unscathed from the Disruption of the Church of Scotland . The minister at the time, Rev. John Cumming, seemed all set to join
4230-415: The Parish State in Fraserburgh branched out to extend education in the parish. McLaren is credited with the founding of no less than three new schools in the parish during his ministry. It was during McLaren's ministry that the church peaked in both power and influence within the parish. No minister after McLaren was as influential or (arguably) controversial. His successor, Rev. Michael P. Johnstone, oversaw
4324-515: The Pope. The Church of Scotland, in its current form, traces its origins to the Scottish Reformation of 1560. At that point, many in the then church in Scotland broke with Rome in a process of Protestant reform led, among others, by John Knox . It reformed its doctrines and government, drawing on the principles of John Calvin , which Knox had been exposed to while living in Geneva , Switzerland. An assembly of some nobles, lairds , and burgesses, as well as several churchmen, claiming in defiance of
4418-430: The Prayer Book was finally introduced at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh in mid-1637, it caused an outbreak of rioting, which, starting with Jenny Geddes , spread across Scotland. In early 1638, the National Covenant was signed by large numbers of Scots, protesting the introduction of the Prayer Book and other liturgical innovations that had not first been tested and approved by free Parliaments and General Assemblies of
4512-408: The Queen to be a Scottish Parliament, abolished papal jurisdiction and approved the Scots Confession , but did not accept many of the principles laid out in Knox's First Book of Discipline , which argued, among other things, that all of the assets of the old church should pass to the new. The 1560 Reformation Settlement was not ratified by the crown, as Mary I , a Catholic, refused to do so, and
4606-465: The Scottish population. The Scottish Church Census of 2016 reported that just under 137,000 people worshipped on an average Sunday in a Church of Scotland, approximately 41% of the stated membership. However, according to the 2024 Assembly Trustees Report, only 61,580 were attending an average Sunday worship service in person during 2023. In 2016 the church faced a £5.7 million deficit amid costly upkeep of many older ecclesiastical buildings. In response
4700-446: The Union of that year met at Industrial Hall on Annandale Street in north Edinburgh. Some independent Scottish Presbyterian denominations still remain. These include the Free Church of Scotland —sometimes given the epithet The Wee Frees —(originally formed of those congregations which refused to unite with the United Presbyterian Church in 1900), the United Free Church of Scotland (formed of congregations which refused to unite with
4794-412: The West Indies, and the church distributed money made from slavery to Scottish parishes to fund philanthropic efforts that assisted Scotland's poor. It ended by recommending to the General Assembly that "a statement of acknowledgment and apology should be brought to a future General Assembly and a dedicated page about the Church’s connections to the slave trade should be created for its website." In 2019,
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#17328631110644888-400: The approval of same-sex marriage, and an apology to homosexuals for past mistreatment was approved by the General Assembly on 25 May 2017. In 2018, the church's assembly voted in favour of drafting a new church law to allow same-sex marriages and to give ministers the option of performing same-sex marriages. The church was expected to vote on a final poll in 2021 but, after being considered at
4982-416: The cause of abolition of the death penalty worldwide." The Church of Scotland does not consider marriage to be a sacrament, and thus not binding forever, and has no moral objection to the remarriage of divorced persons. The minister who is asked to perform a ceremony for someone who has a prior spouse living may inquire for the purpose of ensuring that the problems which led to the divorce do not recur. At
5076-449: The church decided to 'prune to grow', reducing ministry provision plans from 1,234 to 1,000 funded posts (1,075 established FTE posts, of which 75 would be vacant at any one time) supported by a variety of voluntary and part-time ministries. At the same time the number of candidates accepted for full-time ministry has reduced from 24 (2005) to 8 (2009). Since 2014, the number of full-time candidates accepted into training each year has been in
5170-415: The church enjoys complete independence from the state in spiritual matters. When in Scotland, the British monarch simply attends church, as opposed to their role in the English Church as Supreme Governor . The monarch's accession oath includes a promise to "maintain and preserve the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government". They are formally represented at the annual General Assembly by
5264-473: The church in matters spiritual, and as a result of this, and passage of the Church of Scotland (Property and Endowments) Act 1925 ( 15 & 16 Geo. 5 . c. 33), the church was able to unite with the United Free Church of Scotland in 1929. The United Free Church of Scotland was itself the product of the union of the former United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the majority of the Free Church of Scotland in 1900. The 1929 assembly of church leaders to effect
5358-401: The church of their religion. In 2019, according to the Scottish Household Survey, 20% of Scots self-reported themselves as adherents of the Church of Scotland. The Church of Scotland Guild , the church's historical women's movement and open to men and women since 1997, is still the largest voluntary organisation in Scotland. According to the 2011 census, among respondents who identified with
5452-407: The church would not survive." The proposal reduced the number of ministry posts by 40%; to 660 of which 60 would be vacant at any one time, and was said to offer the church a chance to thrive. By December 2022 the Church had 270,300 members, a 4.7% decline from 2021, and representing an overall decline of 35% since 2012. This lack of those in training towards ministry has threatened the viability of
5546-399: The church's adherents to worship Jesus . The Church of Scotland celebrates two sacraments , Baptism and the Lord's Supper , as well as five other ordinances , such as Confirmation and Matrimony . The church adheres to the Bible and the Westminster Confession of Faith and is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches . The annual meeting of the church's general assembly
5640-544: The church's theological training colleges. During the 2019 General Assembly, the Ministries Council announced that they were looking to reduce the number of Academic Partners who train current ministry students from five, to either one or two. The five current academic partners are University of Glasgow , University of Edinburgh , University of Aberdeen , University of St Andrews and, most recently, Highland Theological College . Douglas Strachan Douglas Strachan (26 May 1875, Aberdeen , Scotland – 20 November 1950)
5734-413: The church, 96% were white Scots, 3% were other white people, and 1% were from other ethnic groups; this broadly reflects Scotland's demographic make-up. Although it is the national church, it is not a state church ; this and other regards makes it dissimilar to the Church of England (the established church in England). Under its constitution (recognised by the 1921 act of the British Parliament ),
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#17328631110645828-399: The closure of the Fraserburgh Old Parish Church building as part of it merging three Fraserburgh congregations into one; enforced upon the people of Fraserburgh, against the wishes of the people of Fraserburgh. Down with the Union; disestablishment beckons. Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( CoS ; Scots : The Kirk o Scotland ; Scottish Gaelic : Eaglais na h-Alba )
5922-403: The congregation that Moore held. Although the new minister built up the congregation throughout his 47-year ministry, the Episcopalians tried to storm and take the kirk on several occasions up until the 1740s. Since that shaky start to Presbyterian rule in 1707, it has survived to the present date. This was the last major upheaval that Fraserburgh Old Church experienced. Due to the riots caused in
6016-404: The congregation. During the ministry of the late Rev. Douglas R. Clyne, much was done to expand the youth groups of the church. In his ministry the "Penny Schoolie" was renovated in 1976 for better accommodation, a new church centre built in 1990–92, and a special "Youth Dedication Service" has been held annually for years. Today, the Old Parish Church continues to host many youth groups including:
6110-400: The contrary, it is questioning the policies that continue to keep peace a dream in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This report is against the injustices levelled against the Palestinian people and how land is shared. It is also a reflection of the use or misuse of scripture to claim divine right to land by any group" and says it must "refute claims that scripture offers any peoples
6204-485: The end of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. Strachan died in Pittendreich House in Lasswade , Midlothian , and is buried in the central section of the 20th century extension to Dean Cemetery in Edinburgh. Although Strachan was interested in Futurism , Cubism and Vorticism , his work shows little influence of this. Strachan often composed his windows in areas of pure colour which were then defined by areas of silvery white. His largest commission
6298-564: The firm Williams Brothers & Co., Chester, Manchester and London. Strachan returned to Aberdeen after 1897 and worked as a mural and portrait painter. In 1899, Strachan travelled to France and Italy. He studied the art of medieval and renaissance Italy, as well as contemporary French painters. In a memoir written by Strachan's daughter, she stated that Strachan had been "enthralled by the medieval windows of Chartres —inspired above all by their luminous monumentality rather than specific details of style and technique." Strachan's European tour had
6392-418: The full inclusion of transgender and other LGBTI people within the church through Affirmation Scotland . In April 2013, the church published a report entitled "The Inheritance of Abraham: A Report on the 'Promised' Land" which included a discussion of Israeli and Jewish claims to the Land of Israel . The report said "there has been a widespread assumption by many Christians as well as many Jewish people that
6486-429: The imagery and jewel like tones of contemporary Arts and Crafts windows. By 1909, Strachan had produced a number of stained glass works. He was hired as the head of the Crafts Section of the Edinburgh College of Art . He supervised the Applied Art department of the College, which included classes in stained glass . Strachan, and his brother Alexander, who was hired as the technical instructor of stained glass, opened
6580-516: The last year of the Clyne ministry. Park was also a noted name at the 2009 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland when he openly opposed the appointment of the Rev. Scott Rennie - an openly gay minister and divorced father of one - stating, “There is a danger that we will make a decision [about homosexuality in the ministry] based on the prevailing culture of our time.’ He was defeated. The Rev. Park retired in June 2014 with no replacement appointed thereafter. The Church of Scotland has mandated
6674-469: The modern world), largely due to its teaching that all should be able to read the Bible. However, it ceased operating its schools, which were transferred to the state, in the latter half of the 19th century. The Church of Scotland faces many current difficulties. Between 1966 and 2006, the number of members fell from over 1,230,000 to 504,000, reducing further to 446,000 in 2010 380,164 by 2014, 336,000 by 2017, and 325,695 by 2018, representing about 6% of
6768-656: The new Concordat, a Presbyterian party emerged headed by Andrew Melville , the author of the Second Book of Discipline . Melville and his supporters enjoyed some temporary successes—most notably in the Golden Act of 1592, which gave parliamentary approval to Presbyterian courts. James VI, however, believed that presbyterianism was incompatible with monarchy, declaring "No bishop, no king". By skillful manipulation of both church and state, steadily reintroduced parliamentary and then diocesan episcopacy ; this approximately mirrored
6862-551: The new minister, the church was stormed and he was flung from the pulpit. After this event the Master of Saltoun petitioned the Presbytery demanding that the Rev. Moore be allowed to take the charge of Fraserburgh. This was rejected, and in 1707 the Rev. Alexander Auchinleck became the first Presbyterian minister of Fraserburgh in almost a century. Upon taking the Kirk, he found he held only half of
6956-483: The overwhelming support of his prospective church members at Queen's Cross, Aberdeen, but his appointment was in some doubt until extensive debate and this vote by the commissioners to the assembly. The GA later agreed upon a moratorium on the appointment of further non-celibate gay people until after a special commission has reported on the matter. (See: LGBT clergy in Christianity .) As a result of these developments,
7050-617: The power of the Holy Spirit remaking us like Jesus, we—with all Christians— worship God, enjoy His friendship and are available for Him to use in sharing and showing His love, justice, and peace locally and globally until Jesus returns ! In Jesus' name we gladly share with you God's message for all people—You matter to God! It was approved for use by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May 1992. The national church has never shied from involvement in Scottish politics . In 1919,
7144-503: The question of church government also remained unresolved. In 1572, the acts of 1560 were finally approved by the young James VI , but the Concordat of Leith also allowed the crown to appoint bishops with the church's approval. John Knox himself had no clear views on the office of bishop, preferring to see them renamed as 'superintendents' which is a translation of the Greek; but in response to
7238-455: The range of 13 to 16. At the 2016 General Assembly the Moderator pointed to issues such as: 25% of charges without a minister; all but two ministers over the age of 30; falling clergy numbers over the coming six years (anticipated that for each newly recruited minister there will be four retirements). By 2021 membership was continuing to decline year on year, leading to a new plan "without which
7332-484: The relationship between the Church of Scotland's independence and the civil law of Scotland. The interference of civil courts with church decisions, particularly over the appointment of ministers, following the Church Patronage (Scotland) Act 1711 , which gave landowners, or patrons, the right to appoint ministers to vacant pulpits, would lead to several splits. This began with the secession of 1733 and culminated in
7426-412: The renovation of the church to how it basically is today. In 1898 the new pipe organ was installed, and 1906 saw the dedication of the impressive Anderson memorial stained-glass window, designed by Douglas Strachan . He demitted office in 1919 due to ill health. His successor, Rev. W. Neil Sutherland, tried in his short ministry to boost congregation numbers by encouraging church social and youth groups. He
7520-486: The schism but, to the surprise to most, stayed within the Established Church. He was an erratic character known to argue with anyone who would give him the opportunity. In 1852 he oversaw the deposition of one assistant, the Rev. John Lockhart, for "misconduct", and frequently bickered with his second assistant, Rev. John Storrie, until Cumming died in 1857 aged 85. In the 1860s, under the ministry of Rev. Peter McLaren,
7614-603: The structure of the Church of England , of which James had become Supreme Governor when he succeeded to the English throne in 1603 . By the time he died in 1625, the Church of Scotland had a full panel of bishops and archbishops. General Assemblies met only at times and places approved by the Crown. Charles I inherited a settlement in Scotland based on a balanced compromise between Calvinist doctrine and episcopal practice. Lacking his father's political judgment, he began to upset this by moving into more dangerous areas. Disapproving of
7708-436: The time of the 2001 census , the number of respondents who gave their religion as Church of Scotland was 2,146,251 which amounted to 42.4% of the population of Scotland. In 2013, the Church of Scotland had around 995 active ministers , 1,118 congregations , and its official membership at 398,389 comprised about 7.5% of the population of Scotland. Official membership is down some 66.5% from its peak in 1957 of 1.32 million. In
7802-445: The time, Rev. James Moore, continued his ministry until his death in 1703. His assistant, and son, Rev. Alexander Moore took over the charge in 1703 - an illegal move as far as the law was concerned. Officially the Kirk was declared vacant until 1706 when finally a willing Presbyterian minister (who was either brave or stupid) finally accepted the call. When the unfortunate representative of the Presbytery in 1706 came to declare and induct
7896-573: The times which suggest that the Kirk had undergone a contented shift to Episcopacy by the 1640s. In 1684 the Lord Saltoun married off his grandson and heir, William Fraser, 12th Lord Saltoun , to Margaret Sharp, daughter of James Sharp , the Archbishop of St. Andrews who was charged with installing Episcopacy throughout Scotland. Lord Saltoun also appointed the ministers of the High Kirk. In 1689, after
7990-529: The two churches to work more closely together on matters of common interest. In 2022, the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Scotland agreed a declaration of friendship between the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church. While the Bible is the basis of faith of the Church of Scotland, and the Westminster Confession of Faith is the subordinate standard, a request
8084-546: The world and in ourselves. The Bible tells us the Good News that God still loves us and has shown His love uniquely in His Son , Jesus Christ. He lived among us and died on the cross to save us from our sin . But God raised Him from the dead ! In His love, this living Jesus invites us to turn from our sins and enter by faith into a restored relationship with God Who gives true life before and beyond death . Then, with
8178-457: Was appointed to the Kirk in 1599 and rejected the King's new style of religious government. Instead he allied himself with the Rev. Andrew Melville (1545–1622), Rector of the University of St Andrews , who is remembered for calling James VI "God's silly vassal". On 2 July 1605, Ferme was one of the 14 ministers who attended the unauthorised General Assembly of Aberdeen . For his part in disobeying
8272-441: Was chosen to be Moderator of the General Assembly, the first woman in the post and the first non-minister to be chosen since George Buchanan , four centuries before. In May 2007 Sheilagh M. Kesting became the first female minister to be Moderator. There are currently 218 serving female ministers, with 677 male ministers. The Church of Scotland allows its clergy to enter into same-sex marriages and civil partnerships. In May 2022,
8366-471: Was designed by David Bryce in 1857 for Sir George Deas . By 1929, Strachan had won international acclaim for his work, including his four windows of 1911-13 at the Peace Palace in The Hague , Netherlands. He also added to his international reputation as an influential stained glass artist for his war memorial windows for the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle . In
8460-488: Was presented to a General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for a statement explaining the historic Christian faith in jargon -free non-theological language. "God's Invitation" was prepared to fulfil that request. The full statement reads: God made the world and all its creatures with men and women made in His image . By breaking His laws people have broken contact with God, and damaged His good world. This we see and sense in
8554-473: Was published in 2005). Its Book of Common Order contains recommendations for public worship, which are usually followed fairly closely in the case of sacraments and ordinances. Preaching is the central focus of most services. Traditionally, Scots worship centred on the singing of metrical psalms and paraphrases, but for generations these have been supplemented with Christian music of all types. The typical Church of Scotland service lasts about an hour. There
8648-542: Was relatively successful, and in this pursuit purchased the "Penny Schoolie" as the Old Parish's church hall. Things continued relatively quiet under the next two charges with little to note. The church was almost destroyed during the Second World War . On one occasion a sheet of metal fell through the church roof during a bombing raid, slicing a small chip on the pulpit. To date this mark is referred to as "Hitler's mark" by
8742-530: Was strongest. The modern situation largely dates from 1690, when after the Glorious Revolution , the majority of Scottish bishops were non-jurors ; that is, they believed they could not swear allegiance to William III of England and Mary II of England while James VII lived. To reduce their influence, the Scots Parliament guaranteed Presbyterian governance of the church by law, excluding what became
8836-465: Was the first new structure in the town, after the castle at Kinnaird Head . From the building of the Kirk in 1571 until 1600, Scotland's official religion was Presbyterian , as a result of the Scottish Reformation of 1560. When King James VI introduced Episcopacy as the official religion in 1600, Fraserburgh had a devout Presbyterian in the pulpit. The Rev. Charles Ferm MA (c.1565–1617),
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