Parish Politics and Godly Agitation in Late Interregnum Scotland

Abstract Following the English invasion of Scotland in July 1650, ministers and laymen Church splintered between Protester Resolutioner factions: The Protesters argued that required further moral reformation order to appease a vengeful God, Resolutioners were more content accept reintegration former royalists into places trust following civil wars. This article explores profound ways which this split fundamentally altered relationships unusually well-documented parish Crichton Midlothian. Unlike other studies have emphasized moved toward position separation from rest kirk, group who sought actively reform kirk within. Godly agitation affairs was characterized by three traits: it coordinated, remarkably litigious, disseminated manuscript libels petitions rather than print. Ultimately, while godly elite adept at agitating for level, did so without seceding structures national church altogether.