Established church
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An established church is a church officially sanctioned and supported by the government of a country, e.g. the Church of England and the Church of Scotland in the United Kingdom. Such a sanction is discouraged in some countries, such as the United States, where this is covered by the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
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[edit] United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the Church of England and the Church of Scotland remain established, although the Church of Ireland and the Church in Wales were disestablished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries respectively.
[edit] Church of England
The Church of England is the established church in England, of which the monarch is constitutionally the supreme governor. The system is Erastian, in that the church is theoretically subject to the government of the United Kingdom.
Until 1920 the Church of England also held the same position in Wales and the Church of Ireland had the same position in Ireland prior to 1871.
A strong push was made by liberals and dissenters for disestablishment in England in the late nineteenth century as well; although unsuccessful, the issue has never entirely gone away. Bishops continue to be appointed by the Crown (in practice, by the Prime Minister) and sit in the House of Lords.
[edit] Church of Scotland
Although the Church of Scotland is the established church in Scotland, it is entirely independent of the state, and has no formal representation as a body.
Since the Revolution of 1688 the Church of Scotland has been the established church in Scotland. After King William III and his wife Queen Mary II landed in England and replaced James II, a settlement was reached where Scotland would have a distinct church. From that point on the Church of England was Episcopalian and the Church of Scotland was Presbyterian. Because of the National Covenants, which were important to the people of Scotland, the relationship between church and state is organized differently in that the church is independent of parliament rather than being subject to it.
[edit] See also
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