Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)

The Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) (Scottish Gaelic: An Eaglais Shaor Leantainneach) is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination which was formed in January 2000. It claims to be the true continuation of the Free Church of Scotland, hence its name.

"Free Church Continuing" redirects here. For the denomination which continued after the formation of the United Free Church, see Free Church of Scotland (since 1900).
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
The FCC church building in Staffin.
ClassificationProtestant
TheologyCalvinistic
PolityPresbyterian
AssociationsInternational Conference of Reformed Churches, Affinity
Origin2000
Separated fromFree Church of Scotland
Congregations29 active congregations in Scotland, 1 in Canada and 5 overseas in the United States
Members~1,000 in Scotland, 250 in North America
Official websitewww.freechurchcontinuing.org

Formation

In 1996, Professor Donald Macleod, later to be principal of the Free Church College in Edinburgh, was acquitted of charges of sexual assault when a sheriff ruled there had been a conspiracy against him.[1] An organisation called the Free Church Defence Association believed that "it was wrong not to put Professor Macleod on trial in the General Assembly and that the majority has therefore departed from the principle that allegations of misconduct must be investigated not by a Committee of the General Assembly but by the whole General Assembly."[2] The FCDA's chairman, Rev Maurice Roberts, was suspended for contumacy in June 1999 for refusing to withdraw his claim that General Assembly in May of that year was characterised by "gross and irremediable wickedness and hypocrisy".[1]

Religion in Scotland

In August 1999, the FCDA's magazine, Free Church Foundations, referred to "the evil of Mr Roberts' suspension."[1][3] A deadline was set for 30 November 1999 for the FCDA to disband, which it did not.[4] Libels were drawn up against 22 ministers who refused to comply, and in a hearing by the Commission of Assembly on 19–20 January 2000 those libels were declared to be relevant.[5] The 22 ministers were suspended, and they responded by leaving the commission.

On 20 January 2000 the 'Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)' was formed when those ministers and a number of others adopted a "Declaration of Reconstitution of the historic Free Church of Scotland."[6] Johnston McKay suggests that although on the surface the split was about Donald Macleod, in reality it was about theology, with the FCDA "composed of people who adhere much more firmly to the Westminster Confession of Faith."[2]

Following their departure, FCC sought a declarator from the Court of Session as to ownership of the central funds and properties of the Church. When the appeal was sent to the Outer House of the Court of Session, Lady Paton dismissed their action without granting absolvitor.[5] In March 2007 the Free Church of Scotland proceeded to take legal action at Broadford, on the island of Skye, seeking to reclaim the church manse. The Free Church (Continuing) lost the action at first instance on the decision of Lord Uist,[7] and also lost their appeal to the Inner House of the Court of Session.[8]

The FCC expressed its intention to appeal both the above decisions, but in 2009, the International Conference of Reformed Churches noted that the FCC had "withdrawn its appeal of the civil matter that was pending."[9]

Recognition

The denomination is a member of the International Conference of Reformed Churches[10] and of Affinity.[11]

Congregations

The Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) presently has 34 functioning congregations, of which 7 are in North America.[12] These churches belong to 6 Presbyteries: the Northern, the Skye and Lochcarron, the Inverness, the United States of America, the Outer Hebrides and the Southern Presbyteries.[13] There are 6 congregations and preaching stations in the Atlanta metropolitan area, Washington Metro, Upstate South Carolina, Mebane, NC and St. Louis, MO in the United States,[14] a congregation in Canada, Northern Ireland, and a seminary and demonstration farm in Zambia.[15][16]

Church Location Presbytery Web Founded
Ness FCSC North Dell, Na h-Eileanan Siar Outer Hebrides 2000
Harris FCSC Northton, Na h-Eileanan Siar Outer Hebrides 2000
Knock and Point FCSC Garrabost, Na h-Eileanan Siar Outer Hebrides 2000
North Uist and Grimsay FCSC Bayhead, Na h-Eileanan Siar Outer Hebrides 2000
Scalpay Harris FCSC Scalpay, Na h-Eileanan Siar Outer Hebrides 2000
Shawbost Preaching Station Bragar, Na h-Eileanan Siar Outer Hebrides 2000
Stornoway FCSC Stornoway, Na h-Eileanan Siar Outer Hebrides 2000
Assynt and Eddrachillis FCSC Scourie and Lochinver, Highland Northern 2000
Brora FCSC Brora, Highland Northern 2000
Kiltearn FCSC Evanton, Highland Northern 2000
Tarbat FCSC Portmahomack and Inver, Highland Northern 2000
Bracadale FCSC Struan and Carbost, Highland Skye and Lochcarron 2000
Duirinish FCSC Duirinish, Highland Skye and Lochcarron 2000
Lochalsh & Strath FCSC Ardelve, Corran and Broadford, Highland Skye and Lochcarron 2000
Snizort FCSC Skeabost, Highland Skye and Lochcarron 2000
Kilmuir and Stenscholl FCSC Staffin, Highland Skye and Lochcarron 2000
Portree FCSC Portree, Highland Skye and Lochcarron 2000
Grace Reformed Church, Aberdeen Aberdeen, Aberdeen Inverness 2000
Dores FCSC Dores, Highland Inverness 2000
Westhill Inverness FCSC Inverness, Highland Inverness 2000
Kilmorack and Strathglass FCSC Beauly, Highland Inverness 2000
Poolewe and Aultbea FCSC Aultbea, Highland Inverness 2000
Arran FCSC Brodick, North Ayrshire Southern 2000
Bethel Free Church, Ayr Ayr, South Ayrshire Southern 2000
Dumfries FCSC Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway Southern 2000
St Columba's FCSC, Edinburgh Edinburgh, Edinburgh & Galashiels, Borders Southern 2000
Knightswood FCSC Knightswood, Glasgow Southern 2000
Partick FCSC Partick, Glasgow Southern 2000
Shettleston FCSC Shettleston, Glasgow Southern 2000
London Preaching Station Ham, London Southern
Rothesay Rothesay, Argyll and Bute Southern 2000
Ballyclare and Doagh FCSC Doagh, Antrim Home & Foreign Missions 2013
Portavogie Preaching Station Portavogie, Down Home & Foreign Missions
Smiths Falls Reformed Church Smiths Falls, Ontario Home & Foreign Missions 2002
Reformation Presbyterian Church, Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia United States 2004
Greenville Presbyterian Church Greenville, South Carolina United States 2006
Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, Mebane Mebane, North Carolina United States 2012
Metropolitan Presbyterian Church, Washington Washington, D. C. United States 2003
Sovereign Grace Presbyterian Church, St Louis St Louis, Missouri United States 2008

Seminary

The Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) maintains a seminary on the outskirts of Inverness for the training of its ministers.

Music

The Free Church Continuing continues to hold to the exclusive use of metrical Psalms sung without instrumental accompaniment in worship, a position which the Free Church of Scotland has ceased to hold.[17]

See also
  • John MacLeod, Principal Clerk of Assembly, Moderator of 2006 General Assembly

References
  1. Templeton, Sarah-Kate (2 October 1999). "Free Church in crisis as two ministers face suspension". Sunday Herald. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  2. McKay, Johnston (21 January 2000). "A church born out of division". BBC News. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  3. Notices, Free Church Foundations. Accessed 24 January 2011.
  4. McNeil, Robert (1 December 1999). "Rebels warn Free Church of their plan to break away". The Scotsman.
  5. Opinion of Lady Paton, retrieved 16 June 2007
  6. Act XVIII, General Assembly Acts 2000-2008 Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. "(First) Reverend Donald Smith, As Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland + (Second) Reverend James MacIver as the Principal Clerk of the Said General Assembly v. (First) Reverend John Morrison + (Second) Peter MaCaskill + (Third) Roderick MacKay + (Fourth) Peter Matheson, 31 July 2009, Lord Uist". scotcourts.gov.uk.
  8. "The Reverend Donald Smith as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free church of Scotland and Others v. The Reverend John Morrison and Others, 12 August 2011, Lord Bonomy + Lord Drummond Young + Lord Osborne". scotcourts.gov.uk.
  9. "2009 Conference Minutes" (PDF). International Conference of Reformed Churches. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  10. "Press Release". International Conference of Reformed Churches. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  11. "Affinity Partners". Affinity. Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  12. "Congregations". freechurchcontinuing.org.
  13. "Presbyteries". freechurchcontinuing.org.
  14. David Blunt. "Presbytery of United States of America". freechurchcontinuing.org.
  15. "Free Church of Scotland". freekirkcontinuing.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2009-04-03.
  16. "Free Church of Scotland". freekirkcontinuing.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20.
  17. "Free Church to allow music and hymns -- BBC News 19 Nov 2010 retrieved 15 April 2016".
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