Robert Bruce of Kinnaird and the Resilience of Presbyterianism in Scotland: 1610–1637.

ملخص

This thesis investigates the resilience of Presbyterian ecclesiology in Scotland between 1610 and 1637, a period marked by the full imposition of Episcopacy under James VI/I and its attempted consolidation under Charles I. This study contends that Presbyterian principles persisted with remarkable tenacity, sustained by theological conviction, popular support, and the influential ministry of Robert Bruce of Kinnaird.
Through critical engagement with contemporary sources, - including Calderwood, Spottiswoode, Parliamentary and Privy council archives, General Assembly proceedings, and Bruce’s sermons, - alongside modern scholarship, the thesis argues that Bruce’s preaching, writings, and itinerant ministry played a decisive role in embedding Presbyterian identity within the national religious consciousness. His unwavering adherence to Melvillian principles, his repeated confrontations with royal authority, and his ability to command popular allegiance exemplify the Presbyterian claim to spiritual independence in defiance of Erastian impositions.
The analysis demonstrates that, even when driven underground by Episcopal ascendancy, Presbyterianism remained steadfast as both a theological system and a mode of governance. Alternative explanatory factors including economic grievance, absentee monarchy, and pervasive fear of Roman Catholic resurgence are considered, yet the evidence suggests that Bruce’s ministry provided a critical locus for sustaining Presbyterian conviction through a period of royal belief in a monarch’s divine right to rule absolutely.
The thesis concludes that Presbyterianism’s eventual triumph at the General Assembly of 1638 cannot be understood apart from its underground resilience during 1610–1637. By emphasising the relationship between theology, polity, and popular allegiance, the study contributes to a fuller understanding of the religious landscape of early seventeenth-century Scotland and underscores the importance of men like Robert Bruce in Reformation and post-Reformation history.

تاريخ الجائزة	21 نوفمبر 2025
اللغة الأصلية	English
المؤسسة المانحة	University of the Highlands and Islands
المشرف	Nick Needham (Supervisor) & Alasdair J MacLeod (Supervisor)