Chapter 4 (Section III) - Religious Heritage

The religious history of the region began with St. Columba’s missions to the Picts in the 6th century. By the 16th century, corruption in the Catholic Church led to the spread of Lutheran and reforming doctrines. The Reformation in Scotland was driven by figures like John Knox, leading to the abolition of papal authority in 1560 and the establishment of a reformed confession of faith.

Religious conflict continued under the Stuarts, particularly regarding the imposition of episcopacy versus the Presbyterian system advocated by Andrew Melville. This struggle led to the National Covenant of 1638 and involvement in the English Civil War. Following the Revolution of 1688, Presbyterianism was permanently restored as the established church government in Scotland.