Chronicling the Changing Identity of the Covenanters
The seventeenth century in Scotland is one characterized by turmoil and religious dispute. One of the major points of contention in early seventeenth century Scotland was centered around the administration of the church, also referred to as church polity. The Church of Scotland had been administered as a presbytery, comprised of elected elders from within the local congregation. [1] Charles I's indelicate handling of the religious situation in Scotland led to a galvanization against the episcopalian polity. This polity differed from the Church of England, which was administered by bishops appointed by the head of the faith (the reigning monarch). [2] James VI had used this to great effect to control the Church of England, and he sought to implement a similar polity in the Church of Scotland, though he did so through measured steps rather than a drastic alteration. 1637 saw the manifestation of decades of tension between church and state, as the institution of the Book of Co...
