The First and Second Books of Discipline were amongst the constitutional foundation documents of the Scottish Reformation, and for four and a half centuries have been relied on to guide the polity of Presbyterian churches around the world. Their scholarly editing and publication a generation ago helped to revive serious study in the Church's constitutional law; and this reprint makes very important material available in a time of immense organisational change in the Church. Rev Dr Marjory A MacLean Deputy Principal Clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

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"Scots Confession" from John Knox. Scottish religious reformer who played the lead part in reforming the Church in Scotland in a Presbyterian manner (1510-1572).

If you care at all about the Christian church you must brace yourself for a roller coaster of emotions as you read A Sad Departure. The title contains a double entendre. On the one hand it alludes to the departure from the Church of Scotland of about forty ministers and many members. On the other hand it refers to the catalyst of these actions the departure of the Kirk from its moorings in the authority of Scripture by its decisions on 'the gay question'. It tells a dark story, almost novelesque in character. A church's Theological Commission reaches a unanimous conclusion on the teaching on marriage given in its ultimate authority, the Bible. But then its General Assembly acts in a way that ignores, demeans, and rejects that teaching. Thus behind these sad departures lies the prior and much sadder departure of the Kirk from its sacred constitution. This is a thoughtful, honest and solemnising book written out of a deep personal and pastoral concern for the cause of the gospel.

Mission in Contemporary Scotland is the first book to fully examine the challenges and opportunities of Christian mission in contemporary Scotland. It covers all of the most important topics and questions engaging the church today, such as the reality of decline, the changing nature of domestic mission, the response of the Church to change, and the different models of mission that are being used today. Describing and analysing a wealth of concrete examples from a Scottish context, this study gives practical guidance to church leaders engaged in Fresh Expressions and church planting in a Scottish context. A major contribution of the book is to envisage ways in which the institutional Church can respond imaginatively to its secular and pluralist context. This is the first work of its kind and fills a significant gap in the market.

The Victorian period in Scotland was remarkable, with rapid changes and immense wealth coexisting alongside entrenched conservatism and great poverty. For the churches also, the Victorian period was a time of transformation - with every assumption being challenged and tested. In this context it is not surprising that some churches fragmented, and the Free Church was one of them.

Explores the revival and impact of evangelicalism within the Church of Scotland after the Disruption of 1843 The Revival of Evangelicalism presents a critical analysis of the evangelical movement in the national Church. It emphasises the manner in which the movement both continued along certain pre-Disruption lines and evolved to represent a broader spectrum of Reformed Presbyterian doctrine and piety during the long reign of Queen Victoria. The author interweaves biographical case studies of influential figures who played key roles in the process of revival and recovery, including William Muir, Norman MacLeod and A. H. Charteris. Based on a diverse range of primary sources, the book places the chronological development of 'established evangelicalism' within the broader context of British imperialism, German biblical criticism, European Romanticism and Victorian print culture. Andrew Michael Jones is Visiting Assistant Professor of European and World History at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

Learn: Pastoral Care is written for all ordained and lay pastoral ministers, youth and children's workers, community leaders, chaplains and volunteers working in all branches of health and residential care. This latest volume in the Learn series is designed to provide you with an introductory resource and guidance on Christian pastoral care and to help you to reflect upon your care for others as well as yourself. This publication is divided into four parts. The first part explores what Christians mean by pastoral care and why we care from biblical, theological and missional perspectives. The second part considers who could or should provide pastoral care, the opportunities for the Church to work in partnership with other professional organisations and where pastoral care should be offered. The third part focuses on various ways that pastoral care could be offered, while looking at the significance of self-awareness when offering care to others and caring for the self. Finally, the fourth part explores seven selected themes of pastoral care, each of which deals with two topics and suggests practical guidance. Each part begins with a 'My Story', which shares a real-life experience of pastoral care, and closes with a prayer. Selected themes include: -Caring for children and young people -Relationships and separation -Loneliness and isolation -Mental health struggles -Dementia -Caring for the terminally ill and their loved ones -Bereavement Attractively illustrated throughout and illuminated by real life human stories, this is an essential volume for all involved in working in this key area of ministry.