It would be unfair to record all the splits in the Church in Scotland without recognising the courageous effort of many to join similar Churches for a continuing future work. The four main headings for Church splits over the 400 years or so could be categorised as follows:
1.State interference with the liberties of the Church.
2.Tyranny exercised in the General Assembly.
Hostile to any enthusiasm that threatened to overpass the bounds of "moderation".
3.Too liberal and narrow interpretation of the Covenant or founding documents.
4.Awakening of democratic spirit in the nation, effecting an enlightenment in political and church freedom.
In 1847 the Secession and Relief Churches joined to become United Presbyterian Church. These 518 Churches had a strong missionary spirit.
The majority of the original Seceders (Auld Lichts) joined the Free Church in 1852 after the satisfaction of the wording in the Act of Declaration passed by that Church. A minority did not enter this Union.
In 1857 there was a strong promotion that the time was right to join both the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church, however after some ten years this Union was dropped. However, the Reformed Presbyterian Synod who had started talks with these two Churches united with the Free Church in 1876. In 1886 a Bill was introduced to the House of Commons designed to promote the reunion of all Scottish Presbyterian s. Although this did not happen at this point in 1898 we can see some practical working together with a common hymn-book by the Presbyterian Churches of Scotland and Ireland. It was in the previous year that the Congregationalists and Evangelical Union blended two important minor elements of Scottish dissent. The United Free Church created from the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Synod under a tolerant mutual understanding, the basis of which was used subsequently in other Unions, was successfully completed on 31 October 1900. Again a minority failed to be carried in and claimed to be the continuing Free Church (wee Frees). From the turn of the century to 1929 the spirit of the new millennium encouraged Conferences, joint work, which continued during the War and a few "false starts" in Unions were finally rewarded with the Great Union of The Church of Scotland and the United Free Church (although to this day there is still a continuing United Free Church that did not go with the majority into the Great Union.
Church of Scotland
84 Presbyteries approved the Union (1420 votes for, 22 against).
United Free Church
63 Presbyteries approved the Union (1298 votes for, 101 against).
While there was a sense at that time of completeness with the Union and indeed others mentioned, and taking aside the difficulties and healing process of generations that is remarkable that such Unions have taken place. Many long hours and dedication by individuals have played an important part and in some cases to the detriment of the health of these individuals. Whilst even I would not want to see Union for the sake of tying up loose ends there is indeed a long way to go for Scottish Churches to be more effective. In my lifetime two Presbyterian splits creating the Associated Presbyterian Church from the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland and Free Church of Scotland-Continuing out of the Free Church, only shows there is a long way to go.
Other types of Protestant Churches of a Congregational or Methodist nature have many areas that would need satisfying or the laying down of some principles before Union. With the use of the likes of The Evangelical Alliance and ACTS there are many in Churches who want to work together for the sake of the people and their God, rather than the holding up of the "principle". Likewise there are many who would see as a compromise and failure to their forefathers any thought of Union. Many have quoted in meetings or in publications that "persecution is the most likely way that the Scottish Churches would come together as a national (free from State), witness to the community". There are good signs throughout the United Kingdom of joint Church work, sharing of resources, and buildings. Agreeing official terms of reference for Union will take much longer.
The other aspect of Church Union that should not be forgotten or discounted is a work of spiritual revival, which we will look at briefly later. When God's Spirit comes down on a community there is then a special opportunity to catalyze a work and possibly Church Union!
For all the splits in Unions there have been, the desire of those to move forward and capture a more live Church, based on the Bible and New Testament principles is seen as the driving force for change.
Again and again throughout history we see that practice has been distorted or lost e.g. It is ironic that in a Presbyterian or non Presbyterian Independent circle we hear frequently of Bishops, Presbyters, Elders and even Deaconesses, yet in the Church of AD250 below this level of authority there were Sub-Deacons, Acolytes, Exorcists, Readers and Janitors! (I am not aware of many current Acolytes in the Presbyterian or Independent circles, are you?
To Summarise the major unions we have the following:
1842-creation of United and Original Secession Church
1839-Original Burgher Synod joins with Church of Scotland
1847-The Relief Church and the United Secession (new lights) creating The United Presbyterian Church
1876 - Reformed Presbyterian Church, formerly Cameronians joined the Free Church of Scotland.
1896-Congregationalists and the Evangelical Union join together.
1900-United Presbyterian Church and the Free church creating the United Free Church.
1929-United Free Church and Church of Scotland
2000- Congregational Union of Scotland joined United Reformed Church of United Kingdom.
1.State interference with the liberties of the Church.
2.Tyranny exercised in the General Assembly.
Hostile to any enthusiasm that threatened to overpass the bounds of "moderation".
3.Too liberal and narrow interpretation of the Covenant or founding documents.
4.Awakening of democratic spirit in the nation, effecting an enlightenment in political and church freedom.
In 1847 the Secession and Relief Churches joined to become United Presbyterian Church. These 518 Churches had a strong missionary spirit.
The majority of the original Seceders (Auld Lichts) joined the Free Church in 1852 after the satisfaction of the wording in the Act of Declaration passed by that Church. A minority did not enter this Union.
In 1857 there was a strong promotion that the time was right to join both the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church, however after some ten years this Union was dropped. However, the Reformed Presbyterian Synod who had started talks with these two Churches united with the Free Church in 1876. In 1886 a Bill was introduced to the House of Commons designed to promote the reunion of all Scottish Presbyterian s. Although this did not happen at this point in 1898 we can see some practical working together with a common hymn-book by the Presbyterian Churches of Scotland and Ireland. It was in the previous year that the Congregationalists and Evangelical Union blended two important minor elements of Scottish dissent. The United Free Church created from the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Synod under a tolerant mutual understanding, the basis of which was used subsequently in other Unions, was successfully completed on 31 October 1900. Again a minority failed to be carried in and claimed to be the continuing Free Church (wee Frees). From the turn of the century to 1929 the spirit of the new millennium encouraged Conferences, joint work, which continued during the War and a few "false starts" in Unions were finally rewarded with the Great Union of The Church of Scotland and the United Free Church (although to this day there is still a continuing United Free Church that did not go with the majority into the Great Union.
Church of Scotland
84 Presbyteries approved the Union (1420 votes for, 22 against).
United Free Church
63 Presbyteries approved the Union (1298 votes for, 101 against).
While there was a sense at that time of completeness with the Union and indeed others mentioned, and taking aside the difficulties and healing process of generations that is remarkable that such Unions have taken place. Many long hours and dedication by individuals have played an important part and in some cases to the detriment of the health of these individuals. Whilst even I would not want to see Union for the sake of tying up loose ends there is indeed a long way to go for Scottish Churches to be more effective. In my lifetime two Presbyterian splits creating the Associated Presbyterian Church from the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland and Free Church of Scotland-Continuing out of the Free Church, only shows there is a long way to go.
Other types of Protestant Churches of a Congregational or Methodist nature have many areas that would need satisfying or the laying down of some principles before Union. With the use of the likes of The Evangelical Alliance and ACTS there are many in Churches who want to work together for the sake of the people and their God, rather than the holding up of the "principle". Likewise there are many who would see as a compromise and failure to their forefathers any thought of Union. Many have quoted in meetings or in publications that "persecution is the most likely way that the Scottish Churches would come together as a national (free from State), witness to the community". There are good signs throughout the United Kingdom of joint Church work, sharing of resources, and buildings. Agreeing official terms of reference for Union will take much longer.
The other aspect of Church Union that should not be forgotten or discounted is a work of spiritual revival, which we will look at briefly later. When God's Spirit comes down on a community there is then a special opportunity to catalyze a work and possibly Church Union!
For all the splits in Unions there have been, the desire of those to move forward and capture a more live Church, based on the Bible and New Testament principles is seen as the driving force for change.
Again and again throughout history we see that practice has been distorted or lost e.g. It is ironic that in a Presbyterian or non Presbyterian Independent circle we hear frequently of Bishops, Presbyters, Elders and even Deaconesses, yet in the Church of AD250 below this level of authority there were Sub-Deacons, Acolytes, Exorcists, Readers and Janitors! (I am not aware of many current Acolytes in the Presbyterian or Independent circles, are you?
To Summarise the major unions we have the following:
1842-creation of United and Original Secession Church
1839-Original Burgher Synod joins with Church of Scotland
1847-The Relief Church and the United Secession (new lights) creating The United Presbyterian Church
1876 - Reformed Presbyterian Church, formerly Cameronians joined the Free Church of Scotland.
1896-Congregationalists and the Evangelical Union join together.
1900-United Presbyterian Church and the Free church creating the United Free Church.
1929-United Free Church and Church of Scotland
2000- Congregational Union of Scotland joined United Reformed Church of United Kingdom.
