It is the national church of Scotland, Presbyterian in government and Reformed in theology, whose independence in spiritual matters is recognized by the Church of Scotland Act 1921.
The Church of Scotland was established in its Reformed form by the Scottish Parliament in 1560 under the leadership of John Knox and others. It is governed by a General Assembly, presbyteries, and kirk sessions, with no bishops. The monarch is not its head; the sovereign promises to preserve its Presbyterian government and attends the General Assembly through a Lord High Commissioner.
Sources
Primary
- Articles Declaratory of the Constitution of the Church of Scotland in Matters Spiritual (1921)
Secondary
- Donald K. McKim, Historical Dictionary of Presbyterianism