[MR] Wikipedia: Reformation in Scotland

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots:

On this date in 1560, the Scottish Parliament swept away Catholicism with
two pieces of legislation, the Confession of Faith Ratification Act and the
Papal Jurisdiction Act. These laws made Protestantism the national religion
of Scotland, banned the mass, and denied papal authority. The Scottish
Reformation made rapid progress, especially as Mary Queen of Scots, now
returned from France, began her disastrous six-year personal rule of
Scotland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Reformation .

Normally I don't comment on historical religious conflicts out of respect
for the beliefs of fellow Scadians. That said, understanding even a little
bit about the Scottish Reformation is extremely important for all
Americans, regardless of faith or ethnicity. Scottish Protestantism had as
much influence, maybe even more, than the English version on American
history and so on many of our modern institutions. After the Union of Flags
between Scotland and England in 1707, the floodgates of Scottish emigration
to America were opened, and today over 15% of us claim Scottish blood. Many
founding fathers of the American revolution were Scottish descents holding
strong Calvinist/Knox beliefs. Those ideas underpin much of our national
character (think about the so-called "Protestant Ethic" of hard work and
thrift that drove our economy until the modern age of excess). It seems
that John Knox lives on in America.

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆