Differences in the Scottish context were built into union proposals, says Lindsey Sanderson

The United Reformed Church has been present in Scotland for the last 41 years through its union with the Churches of Christ in 1981; however, it was the union in 2000 with the Congregational Union of Scotland which led more clearly to a specific Scottish experience of the URC.

The re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 meant that during union negotiations there was a recognition of the URC as a church in three nations. The union proposals included the following provision:

‘In matters relating to Scottish and Welsh ecclesiastical and public affairs the national synods will speak and act in the name of the United Reformed Church… the authority of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church in the management of the affairs of the whole Church is affirmed but it is recognised that there may be situations in which the General Assembly will need to acknowledge national distinctions.’..

Lindsey Sanderson ministers in the west of Scotland and is Chaplain to the URC’s Moderator of General Assembly

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This is an extract from an article published in the October 2022 edition of Reform

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