Church of Scotland

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.

Coordinates

55.9497, -3.1950

Address

Lady Stair's Close, Edinburgh, EH1 2PA

Opening

Mo-Su 10:00-17:00

Official site

www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk

Sources

• wikipedia: Church of Scotland (CC BY-SA 4.0)