Historic churches · Central Scotland
Church of Scotland
Also known as: Eglwys yr Alban, Eaglais na h-Alba
The Church of Scotland (CoS; Scots: The Kirk o Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Eaglais na h-Alba) is a Reformed denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national and established church of
kim traynor — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
About
The Church of Scotland (CoS; Scots: The Kirk o Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Eaglais na h-Alba) is a Reformed denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national and established church of Scotland. It is one of the country's larger denominations, having 229.000 members in 2025, or 4% of the Scottish population. In the 2022 census, 1,108,796 people, or 20 % of the Scottish population, claimed affiliation with the church. The Church of Scotland is Presbyterian in structure, meaning that is governed by presbyters or elders, selected from the body of the church. There is no one person who acts as the head of the faith, as the church believes that role is the "Lord God's". It is known familiarly as "the Kirk", this being the Scots equivalent of "church". 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 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 is chaired by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
The Church of Scotland (CoS; Scots: The Kirk o Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Eaglais na h-Alba) is a Reformed denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national and established church of Scotland. It is one of the country's larger denominations, having 229.000 members in 2025, or 4% of the Scottish population. In the 2022 census, 1,108,796 people, or 20 % of the Scottish population, claimed affiliation with the church. The Church of Scotland is Presbyterian in structure, meaning that is governed by presbyters or elders, selected from the body of the church. There is no one person who acts as the head of the faith, as the church believes that role is the "Lord God's". It is known familiarly as "the Kirk", this being the Scots equivalent of "church". 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 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 is chaired by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
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. By skillful manipulation of both church and state, he steadily reintroduced parliamentary and then diocesan episcopacy; this approximately mirrored 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…
Description
Episcopacy was reintroduced to Scotland after the Restoration, which caused considerable discontent, especially in the country's southwest, where the Presbyterian tradition 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 with the Confession of Faith Ratification Act, excluding what became the Scottish Episcopal Church. Most of the remaining Covenanters disagreed with the…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 55.9497, -3.1950
- District
- City of Edinburgh
- Postcode
- EH1 2PA
- Parliamentary constituency
- Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
- Opening
- Mo-Su 10:00-17:00
- Official site
- www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk
Sources
- wikipedia: Church of Scotland (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Church of Scotland?
- Church of Scotland is in central Scotland, United Kingdom (postcode EH1 2PA).
- Is Church of Scotland free to visit?
- Yes, Church of Scotland is free to enter.
- How do I get to Church of Scotland?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode EH1 2PA. It sits within the Edinburgh East and Musselburgh parliamentary constituency.