Protestant Dissent in Scotland, 1689-1828

The revolution of 1688–9 brought the re-establishment of a Presbyterianism within the national Church of Scotland, after a period of Episcopacy. The decline in state interest in enforcing religious uniformity created space for the growth and diversification of Dissent. Some Presbyterians refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the post-Revolution state and withdrew from the parish structures. Episcopalians also found themselves dissenters from the Presbyterian Establishment after 1688. The Church of Scotland itself experienced a series of secessions during the eighteenth century. Concerns about orthodoxy and disquiet about the ways in which lay patrons were appointing ministers, often without consulting congregations, were crucial. Scottish Dissent was strengthened by the Evangelical Revival and both Whitefield and Wesley preached extensively in Scotland. As in Ireland, other Dissenting groups were small in number and mainly originated from the period of Cromwellian occupation. Scottish religion became more diverse and dynamic across this period.