In Conversation with... Irene Hallyburton

Since the 1560 Reformation, Scots have seen themselves as the Godliest of people. The Solemn League and Covenant of 1643 aimed to protect the reformation of the Church of Scotland and to reform the Churches of England and Ireland, so that the three churches would be the same in government, beliefs and worship. Presbyeterian was re-established as the national creed of Scotland in 1690, and for a time any other was practised in private or secret. However, with the Union of 1707, influence from south of the border began to creep into the Church of Scotland. This caused factions in the kirk to appear and by 1725, at least 10 disparate presbyterian groups can be identified. A particular event of interest is one particular rift which resulted in the formation of the Associate Presbytery, or Secession Church, from 1732.

Join Irene Hallyburton to explore this era of Scottish History which has been the focus of her Phd research.