The Scottish Church History Society is dedicated to greater understanding of Christianity's historical expressions in Scotland as well as their impact and legacy in other parts of the world. This is done through hosting academic conferences, providing bursaries to support independent research, and publishing the peer-reviewed journal Scottish Church History. For more than a century, the Society’s activities have led to groundbreaking studies exploring the depth and significance of Christianity’s role in shaping the Scottish nation, but also to the reciprocal influence of culture and politics on the activities of the churches. While serving to deeply shape the spiritual lives and cultures of Scotland, the role of the churches has been complex and not always reflective of their own teaching. Scotland is a rich field of study, for few countries have experienced the lasting legacy of so-called ‘Celtic’ Christianity, the gravity of lay involvement in the medieval Church and its heritage of patronage, the extent of the Reformation’s impact for shaping cultural norms and national identity, the contestation over the relationship between the Church and the State (or the Established Church and other churches), the scourge of witch-hunting, the transformation of the nation through involvement in slave-based economies and colonialism, the sheer scale of commitment to international mission, the legacy of sectarianism, or the rapidity of secularisation which have all shaped the nation and its diasporas. Our contributors have been probing the impact of Scottish engagements furth of Scotland, particularly in Asia, Oceania and Australasia, the Caribbean and Africa. However, there is so much more to discover, not least in relation to Scotland’s links to the wider world or the increasing diversity of Christian traditions in contemporary Scotland. Whether you seek to learn and enrich your understanding or to present your independent research, we welcome your engagement with our open and welcoming Society.

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Scott Spurlock

 

Professor of Scottish and Early Modern Christianities, The University of Glasgow

President of the Scottish Church History Society