DECLINING attendances. Ministerial shortages. Financial peril. These were problems faced by the Kirk in the first decades following the Scottish Reformation.
The current challenges the Church of Scotland faces are frequently framed as a narrative of decline: Scotland was once a Christian nation, ministers in every parish leading the local communities in congregational worship; this golden age has been ravaged by secularisation, consumerism, individualisation, and neglect, resulting in a loss of members and revenue. Such a story can evoke anxiety, despair, and guilt over the future of the Church in Scotland. Yet, this portrayal of the Kirk’s past is misleading. It fails to recognise that there were many periods within which our ancestors were confronted by similar circumstances as we do today.