Changes

Knox was a man of the most extraordinary character. He was a man who believed he was on a divine mission to reform the church in Scotland. The reformer’s philosophy was that ‘a man with God was always in the majority’ <ref> Dawson, p. 189</ref>. Knox did not believe that he was an innovator but that he was restoring the Church. The power of his preaching and his writings did much to spread the Reformed faith in Scotland. In 1560 he played a key role in the establishment of the Church of Scotland, and the end of Papal jurisdiction in the kingdom. Knox was a decisive influence on the Church of Scotland and he gave it, its distinctive character. He created a new order of service, which was eventually adopted by the reformed church in Scotland. Knox helped write the new confession of faith and the ecclesiastical order for the newly created reformed church, known colloquially as the Kirk. The Kirk was to be the most important social-religious institution in Scotland for many centuries. This was a congregation of elders and bishops who were entrusted with the government of the Church and with enforcing Christian teachings and morals in society. Knox published the First Book of Discipline, which set out the duties of clerics and enabled the transfer of property from the old Church to the new entity <ref>Laing, David, ed., The Works of John Knox (Edinburgh: James Thin, 55 South Bridge, 1895), p. 179</ref>. Under Knox, priests became ministers, bishops served as superintendents and new structures were put in place. The great Scottish reformer did not believe that he was creating a new Church but that he was rather reforming it. In reality he had changed the church beyond recognition and had transformed it. It was not until 1592 that a full Presbyterian system was adopted by the Scottish Church and Parliament. This was composed of courts made up of ministers and elders. Knox efforts to reform the Church in Scotland had created a new Church.