The Church of Scotland (the Kirk)

The Church of Scotland — often called "the Kirk" — is the national church of Scotland. It is Presbyterian, meaning it is governed by elders rather than bishops, and its highest body is the General Assembly which meets each year in Edinburgh. The Moderator is elected for a one-year term and is the public face of the Kirk during that period.

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The Scottish Reformation in the 1560s, led by John Knox, established Presbyterianism as Scotland's dominant Protestant tradition. The Church of Scotland is recognised in law as the national church but, unlike the Church of England, is not "established" in the same way — its independence from the Crown was reaffirmed by the Church of Scotland Act 1921.

Test questions may ask the popular name of the Church of Scotland (the Kirk), which form of church government it has (Presbyterian), or who led the Scottish Reformation (John Knox).

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These questions from the official-format question bank cover the same material. Tap any question to see the correct answer and a short explanation.

1. In the Church of Scotland, who is the Moderator?
2. The chairperson of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the Moderator, who is appointed for the whole lifetime to speak on behalf of that Church.
3. In Scotland, the national Church is the Church of Scotland, which is a ______
4. What type of church is the Church of Scotland?
5. What sort of church is the Church of Scotland?
6. The Church of Scotland is a ______ Church

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