The
Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: "An Eaglais Shaor Chlèireach") was formed in 1893 and claims to be the spiritual descendant of the
Scottish ReformationThe Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
. It is sometimes colloquially known as the
Wee Wee Frees (not to be confused with the "Wee Frees" which is the colloquial name for another offshoot of the
Church of ScotlandThe Church of Scotland , known informally by its Scots language name, The Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
, the
Free Church of ScotlandFree Church of Scotland is that part of the original Free Church of Scotland that remained outside of the union with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1900...
).
History
In 1892 the
Free Church of ScotlandThe Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a division known as the Disruption...
, following the example of the
United Presbyterian Church of ScotlandThe United Presbyterian Church of Scotland was a Scottish Presbyterian denomination. It was formed in 1847 by the union of the United Secession Church and the Relief Church, and in 1900 merged with the Free Church of Scotland to form the United Free Church of Scotland, which in turn united with...
and the
Church of ScotlandThe Church of Scotland , known informally by its Scots language name, The Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
(1889), passed a Declaratory Act relaxing the stringency of subscription to the
confessionThe Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been...
, which was widely perceived as paving the way for unification with the United Presbyterian Church. This was met by a protest from the minister from the island of
RaasayRaasay is an island between the Isle of Skye and the mainland of Scotland. It is separated from Skye by the Sound of Raasay and from Applecross by the Inner Sound. It is most famous for being the birthplace of the poet Sorley MacLean, an important figure in the Scottish literary renaissance...
, who was later joined by one other minister. The result was that a small number of ministers and congregations, mostly in the
HighlandsThe Scottish Highlands include the rugged and mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to the east...
, severed their connection with the Free Church of Scotland and formed the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, along lines they considered to be more orthodox. By 1907 this body had twenty congregations and twelve ministers.
A few years after the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (FPC Church) was formed, the Free Church of Scotland united with the United Presbyterian Church to form the
United Free Church of ScotlandThe United Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland, which in turn united with the Church of Scotland in 1929.-Origins:The Free Church of Scotland seceded from the...
, with a somewhat larger minority remaining outside the union and retaining the name
Free Church of ScotlandFree Church of Scotland is that part of the original Free Church of Scotland that remained outside of the union with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1900...
. Initially, some wondered if the two churches would merge, but this did not happen.
The two denominations are sometimes confused, as the differences between them are not great. However, the Free Presbyterian Church considers it a
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
to use public transport to go to church on the Sabbath, while the Free Church does not. The Free Church permits the use of modern
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
translations, while the Free Presbyterian Church prescribes the exclusive use of the King James Bible in public worship (by resolution of the Synod in 1961 ).
Influence
Although, even in a Scottish context, the Free Presbyterian Church is a very small body, because it is largely based in the Highlands, there are some areas where it is a significant presence. There are even a few small pockets where it is the main denomination, e.g. the island of
RaasayRaasay is an island between the Isle of Skye and the mainland of Scotland. It is separated from Skye by the Sound of Raasay and from Applecross by the Inner Sound. It is most famous for being the birthplace of the poet Sorley MacLean, an important figure in the Scottish literary renaissance...
. In 1989, it experienced some controversy when one of its members,
Lord Mackay of ClashfernJames Peter Hymers Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern KT PC is a Scottish advocate and former Lord Chancellor .-Early life:...
, was present during the celebration of a
MassThe Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church. The term is used also of similar celebrations in Old Catholic Churches, in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism, in many Lutheran Churches, and in a small amount of High Church Methodist parishes...
at the
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
funeral of Judge John Wheatley, Baron Wheatley. Although, Lord Mackay attended the funeral in his role as
Lord AdvocateHer Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
, he was also an elder in the Free Presbyterian Church. The church leaders reacted to what they perceived as being a grave offence by suspending Mackay from office. This action, combined with previously existing controversies over the nature of liberty of conscience, led to a split resulting in the formation of the
Associated Presbyterian ChurchesThe Associated Presbyterian Churches is a small Scottish Christian denomination , formed in 1989 from part of the community of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland....
by those opposed to the reprimand given to Lord Mackay. A church bookshop exists in Woodlands Road in
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, selling a range of biblical and theological material reflecting the Free Presbyterian confessional stance.
The Free Presbyterian Church claims to be "
ReformedThe Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine, historically related to the churches that first arose especially in the Swiss Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli and soon afterward appeared in nations...
in doctrine, worship and practice," and says that all its actions are based on the Word of God: the Bible. The "subordinate standard" of the church is the
Westminster Confession of FaithThe Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been...
. The church has been involved in missionary work and is found on every continent except for
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
. It has a relatively large sister church in
ZimbabweZimbabwe , is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers...
, where it also owns the
Mbuma Mission HospitalMbuma Mission Hospital is a community hospital in Mbuma, which is a remote village within Nkayi District, Matabeleland North . It is owned and operated by the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland and largely funded by the Dutch 'Mbuma Mission Foundation'. The hospital compound is close to the...
. In
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
congregations are found in Gisborne,
AucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with a population approaching 1.4 million residents, percent of the country's population. Demographic trends indicate that it will continue to grow faster than the rest...
,
TaurangaTauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.Settled by Europeans in the early 19th century, and constituted as a city in 1963., Tauranga City is the fifth largest urban area in New Zealand, with an urban population of The city lies in the...
and
WellingtonWellington is the capital of New Zealand, at the southwestern tip of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. The Wellington urban area is the major population centre of the southern North Island and is New Zealand's third most populous urban area with residents. There are ...
. In
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
congregations are found in
SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
and Grafton.
Disambiguation
The church has no official connection with the more recent
Free Presbyterian ChurchThe Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the cleric and politician, Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
founded by
Ian PaisleyRev Dr Ian Richard Kyle Paisley is a veteran politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , the largest single grouping in the 2007 elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, he was elected First Minister with Sinn Féin's Martin...
in
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Similarities between the two denominations include the use of the King James Bible, opposition to
Roman CatholicismThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
(though this is perhaps voiced in a different style), the wearing of head-coverings by women in public worship, and conservatism in theology. Differences include what is sung in church (the Ulster denomination sings
hymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek , "a song of praise"...
s while the Scottish one uses only
psalmsPsalms is a book of the Hebrew Bible , included in the collected works known as the "Writings" or Ketuvim.-Etymology:...
in public worship), and a different emphasis with regards to
evangelismEvangelism is the practice of attempting to convert people to a religion. The term is used most often in reference to Christianity's religions, since they mandate that their followers make efforts to recruit as many people as possible into their faith...
and
revivalismChristian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
. Confusingly, the Free Prebyterian Church (Ulster) has several congregations in Scotland, while the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland has one congregation in
LarneLarne is a substantial seaport and industrial town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is today a major passenger and freight roll-on roll-off port...
, Northern Ireland. Other countries where both churches have a presence include
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
,
USAThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
See also
- Religion in the United Kingdom
Religion in The United Kingdom is about the development of religion in the United Kingdom since its formation in 1707. The Treaty of Union that led to the formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain ensured that there would be a protestant succession as well as a link...
- Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the cleric and politician, Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
- a different denomination, associated with Ian Paisley, started in Northern Ireland in 1951.
- Presbyterian Reformed Church
The Presbyterian Reformed Church was founded in Ontario, Canada on November 17, 1965. The churches continue historic Scottish Presbyterian orthodoxy in doctrine, worship, government and discipline, on the basis of a conviction that these principles and practices are founded upon and agreeable to...
- Associated Presbyterian Churches
The Associated Presbyterian Churches is a small Scottish Christian denomination , formed in 1989 from part of the community of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland....
External links