Scottish Reformation

During the 16th century, Scotland underwent a Protestant Reformation, transforming the national church into a predominantly Calvinist Kirk with a Presbyterian outlook, significantly reducing the powers of bishops. Early in the century, Martin Luther's and John Calvin's teachings began influencing Scotland, particularly through Scottish scholars who had studied at Continental universities. The Lutheran preacher Patrick Hamilton was executed for heresy in St. Andrews in 1528. The execution of George Wishart, influenced by Zwingli, in 1546 on the orders of Cardinal Beaton, further angered Protestants. Wishart's supporters assassinated Beaton shortly after and seized St. Andrews Castle. The castle was held for a year before being defeated with French assistance. The survivors, including chaplain John Knox, were condemned to serve as galley slaves in France, fueling resentment against the French and creating Protestant martyrs.

Limited toleration and the influence of exiled Scots and Protestants abroad facilitated the spread of Protestantism in Scotland. In 1557, a group of lairds, known as the Lords of the Congregation, began to represent Protestant interests politically. The collapse of the French alliance and English intervention in 1560 allowed a small but influential group of Protestants to impose reforms on the Scottish church. That year, Parliament adopted a confession of faith that rejected papal authority and the mass, while the young Mary, Queen of Scots, was still in France.

John Knox, who had escaped the galleys and studied under Calvin in Geneva, emerged as the leading figure of the Reformation. Under Knox's influence, the reformed Kirk adopted a Presbyterian system and discarded many of the medieval church's elaborate traditions. The new Kirk empowered local lairds, who often controlled clergy appointments. Although iconoclasm occurred widely, it was generally orderly. Despite a predominantly Catholic population, especially in the Highlands and Islands, the Kirk began a gradual process of conversion and consolidation with relatively little persecution compared to other European Reformations.

Women participated actively in the religious fervor of the era. Calvinism's egalitarian and emotional appeal attracted both men and women. Historian Alasdair Raffe notes that men and women were considered equally likely to be among the elect, fostering close, pious relationships between genders and within marriages. Laywomen gained new religious roles, particularly in prayer societies, marking a significant shift in their religious engagement and societal influence.