The Reformation Debate and Scotland

In the 16^th century there comes to Scotland many things, but perhaps the thing that has the most overwhelming and longest lasting implications for the Scottish people, is that of the Scottish Reform. Coming largely during the political unrest caused by the death of James V, Scottish reformers, led chiefly by the ardent John Knox, brought to Scotland ideas and beliefs about ecclesiology and the discipline that were vastly different than those currently held by the larger populace. Which is why the Scottish Reform had such a large impact in the daily life styles of the Scottish people. It fundamentally changed their day-to-day outlook on life, death, and simply put-their existence in its entirety.

While change did come, it did not come easily, and in a large part was only possible due to the large unrest in the country created by the competition for the crown between many factions of power, most notably: Marie de Guise, the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, Archbishop Beaton and the Earl of Arran. In about 1553, Arran made an alliance with Henry VIII. This alliance was made on the promise of Arran to marry Mary, Queen of Scots with Edward VI. However, this marriage alliance was broken at the last moment by Arran who apparently found it more to his favor to ally himself with Beaton. Which is precisely what he did. Henry VIII, however, was quick to retaliate the breach of alliance and began a military offensive against Scotland, specifically in Edinburgh, in an effort to demonstrate to Arran that he had made a mistake in switching his alliances. This "rough wooing," as it came to be called, lasted until Henry VIII's death, upon which the French, at the request of Marie de Guise, sent the Scottish aide to drive out the English in Scotland. Which in turned sparked the Wars of the Congregation that were largely responsible for infusing the populace with the idea of the patriotic protestant.

With the stage thus set we can see why it was possible for the ideas that John Knox laid forth in his First Public Debate to even take a hold among the general populace. In this document he makes nine main theses all of which condoned Catholic ceremonies. Knox calls the Pope an antichrist and claims that there are no bishops "except they preach by themselves."[1] He attacks the idea of mass, calling it idolatry, and also declares the practice selling of indulgences to relieve people of purgatory as invalid.[2] Then in a letter to the Queen Dowager Knox wrote, "For albeit the true fear of God should not move them to speak truth, yet I would think, if any spark of humanity remained, that worldly shame should impede them to lie."[3] With these two events Knox essentially denounces the authority of the papacy, Queen, and her clergy including the Archbishops Beaton and Hamilton because of their lack of belief in what he deems as true religious practice, and gives authority to the Bible and the original teachings of Christ found therein.

Knox, however was not alone in his endeavor, he was joined by George Wishart and in fact Richard Marshall's Catechism was produced in an effort to help reconcile the protestant movement, consisting of many questions and answers that tend toward a Lutheran perspective of justification by faith mixed with some more traditional catholic ideals, this publication went a long way in helping further the reform. Another document that was instrumental in the reform was The Scottish Confessions on Faith which not only laid out certain ideas and rules but also stated that the rulers of the country were responsible "for maintenance of the true religion, and for the suppressing of idolatry and superstition whatsoever..."[4] These documents took the direct responsibility of religion and salvation away from the papacy and placed it not only upon the individual communal rulers and but also upon the community individuals themselves.

While these changes brought on by reformers such as Knox and Wishart were generally of a spiritual nature there were also changes in the physical operations of the church as we see in this expert from The First Book of Discipline: "For in some churches the Psalms may be conveniently sung; in others, perchance, they cannot. Some churches may convene every day, some thrice or twice in the week; some perchance but once."[5] This Effectively changing the idea of a 'set' Mass, which had previously been such an integral part of Scottish society.

The Scottish Reform born in the midst of royal death brought new life to a dying and decaying system of religion. It gave the religion back to the people that is was originally designed to help. It placed upon them a personal responsibility for their own salvation and effectively changed the place of the common layman in the world of theology, ecclesiology and the discipline. It changed life itself.

[1] "Knox's Call to the Ministry and First Public Debate (1547)" Extracted from: Selected Writings of John Knox: Public Epistles, Treatises and Expositions to the Year 1559 ed. Kevin Reed (Dallas, TX: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1995) 3 at http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/KnoxCall.htm

[2] Ibid, 4.

[3] John Knox, "Letter to the Queen Dowager, Regent of Scotland (Augmented Version) 1558" Extracted from: Selected Writings of John Knox: Public Epistles, Treatises and Expositions to the Year 1559 ed. Kevin Reed (Dallas, TX: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1995) 3 at http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/LtrDowag.htm

[4] "Preface;" "Election;" "Civil Magistrates" in The Scottish Confession of Faith (1560) 3-4, at http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualNLs/ScotConf.htm

[5] "The Ninth Head Concerning the Policy of the Church" in The First Book of Discipline (1560) 1, at http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualns/BOD_ch03.htm

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