The definitive biography of John Knox, a leader of the Protestant Reformation in sixteenth-century Scotland "Never before has there been such a thoroughly and sympathetically critical treatment of the 16th-century Scottish reformer's thought and times. . . . A joy to read and a book to value."-Sean Michael Lucas, Gospel Coalition Based in large part on previously unavailable sources, including the recently discovered papers of John Knox's close friend and colleague Christopher Goodman, this biography challenges the traditionally held stereotype of the founder of the Presbyterian denomination as a strident and misogynist religious reformer whose influence rarely extended beyond Scotland. Instead, Jane Dawson maintains that Knox relied heavily on the support of his "godly sisters" and conferred as well as argued with Mary, Queen of Scots. He was a proud member of the European community of Reformed Churches and deeply involved in the religious Reformations within England, Ireland, France, Switzerland, and the Holy Roman Empire. Casting a surprising new light on the public and private personas of a highly complex, difficult, and hugely compelling individual, Dawson's fascinating study offers a vivid, fully rounded portrait of this renowned Scottish preacher and prophet who had a seismic impact on religion and society.

This revealing read will give you an opportunity to learn from history. How do strong confessional churches that seem to be doing all the right things drift inexorably from the truth?. What is clear from Ian Hamilton's fascinating study is that it doesn't happen over night but it is a gradual erosion of theological and doctrinal standards. Nineteenth century Scotland was seen as a Christian nation composed of church-going people. Among its churches, Presbyterianism was strongest, and within Presbyterianism there were several large denominations. The future looked bright and optimism marked many of the church leaders and congregations. Yet the sad fact is that most of them were blind to the presence of the warning signs that ultimately caused the decline and not the continued growth of the church in Scotland. To understand how this happened Ian Hamilton looks at the changes that took place within one of these large Presbyterian denominations - the United Presbyterian Church - and analyses the roots, developments and consequences of these changes, particularly the departure from the doctrines summarised in the Westminster Confession of Faith. It is a salutary lesson to observe that the movements for church unions and increased evangelism of the nineteenth century were not signs of spiritual health; instead they were inadequate sticking plasters that hid dangerous spiritual disease. This book also includes discussion on the nature of subscription to the Confession at time of 1733 secession, the atonement controversy 1841-45, the Union controversy 1863-1873 and 1879 United Presbyterian Church Declaratory Act.

Eight Irish-American historians explore the changing transatlantic character of Ulster Presbyterianism in the 18th and 19th centuries. - Mark G. Spencer (Brock U), Peter Gilmore (Carnegie Mellon U), Katherine Brown (Mary Baldwin College) & David A. Wilson (U Toronto) examine the role of Ulster Presbyterians in the United Irish movement on both sides of the Atlantic - Patrick Griffin (Ohio U) compares and contrasts the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 in Pennsylvania with the Defender movement in Ireland - Kerby Miller (U Missouri) analyzes class conflict and the origins of Unionist hegemony in early 19th-century Ulster - Kevin James (Guelph U) explores the social underpinnings and political consequences of the Ulster Revival of 1859 - David W. Miller (Carnegie Mellon U) provides a broad-ranging assessment of evangelical traditions in Scotland, Ulster and the United States

From current day sectarianism to the Free Church, religion has had a dominant effect upon society in Scotland for centuries. In this topical and thought-provoking book, Callum Brown examines the role of religion in the making of modern Scottish society. Tackling important contemporary themes such as the role of the Kirk in national identity and the growth of secularisation, he explains the history of Catholicism, Presbyterianism and Episcopalism over the last 250 years in an accessible and readable way.

Born in Winnipeg in 1927, Lois Wilson was the first female moderator of the United Church of Canada, the first female president of the Canadian Council of Churches, and the first woman and first Canadian president of the North American region of the World Council of Churches. A respected human rights defender and activist for peace and social justice around the world, she was appointed by successive Canadian governments to head missions in Korea, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Sudan, among others, over her long and distinguished career. For the Sake of the Common Good is a tribute to the life and work of this remarkable Canadian. It brings together contributions from internationally recognized figures such as Louise Arbour, Lloyd Axworthy, and Irwin Cotler; national leaders such as Bill Blaikie, Alia Hogben, Mary Jo Leddy, Stan McKay, and Michael Blair; and local heroes such as Alexa Gilmour and Brent Hawkes, who have been influenced by Lois Wilson's practical Christianity, progressive values, and commitment to ending oppression in all forms. Their essays urge us to think about the many ways we can work toward the common good: by welcoming refugees, developing ecologically sustainable ways of life, repairing relations with Indigenous Peoples, protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people and all who are oppressed, defending political prisoners, and respecting religious rights and the place of faith in public life. In such ways, we can restore right relations with the Earth and with each other. For the Sake of the Common Good gratefully acknowledges Lois Wilson's inspiring legacy while taking on the important task of continuing her work.

Irish Presbyterians and the Shaping of Western Pennsylvania, 1770-1830 is a historical study examining the religious culture of Irish immigrants in the early years of America. Despite fractious relations among competing sects, many immigrants shared a vision of a renewed Ireland in which their versions of Presbyterianism could flourish free from the domination of landlords and established church. In the process, they created the institutional foundations for western Pennsylvanian Presbyterian churches. Rural Presbyterian Irish church elders emphasized community and ethnoreligious group solidarity in supervising congregants' morality. Improved transportation and the greater reach of the market eliminated near-subsistence local economies and hastened the demise of religious traditions brought from Ireland. Gilmore contends that ritual and daily religious practice, as understood and carried out by migrant generations, were abandoned or altered by American-born generations in the context of major economic change.