Religion in Scotland

More than half of the people in Scotland said they did not belong to any religion in the 2022 census. This was a big increase from 2011. About 39% of people said they were Christian. Most of these Christians were part of the Church of Scotland or the Catholic Church.

The Church of Scotland, also called The Kirk, is Scotland's national church, but it is not controlled by the government. The Catholic Church is very important in West Central Scotland and parts of the Highlands. There are also smaller Christian groups and other religions such as Muslim, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.

Since 2016, more people in Scotland have chosen humanist weddings over religious ones. By 2022, humanist weddings were more common than all religious weddings together. This shows a growing trend toward non-religious beliefs and practices.

Census statistics

The statistics from the 2022 Scottish census, United Kingdom Census 2011 and 2001 censuses are shown here.

Religion in Scotland (2022)

1. Not religious (51.1%)
2. Church of Scotland (20.4%)
3. Catholic Church (13.3%)
4. Other Christian (5.10%)
5. Islam (2.20%)
6. Other religions (1.70%)
7. Not stated (6.20%)

History

See also: History of Christianity in Scotland and History of the Jews in Scotland

Christianity came to southern Scotland when the Romans were there. Later, it spread from Ireland in the 5th century, linked to St Ninian, St Kentigern, and St Columba. The Christian practices in Ireland and Scotland were different from those led by Rome, until they changed to Roman ways in the mid-7th century. During the Norman period, reforms created a clearer church structure with local churches and many new monasteries. The Scottish church became independent from England and formed its own diocesan structure.

In the 16th century, Scotland turned to a Protestant faith, creating a national church led by Calvinist ideas. Later conflicts over church leadership led to battles, but Presbyterianism became the main way of organizing the church. Over time, the church split into different groups, forming new churches. Despite these changes, the main Christian church in Scotland continued to evolve.

Christianity

Protestantism

Church of Scotland (Presbyterian)

Main article: Church of Scotland

The British Parliament made a law in 1921 to recognize the Church of Scotland as fully independent. The Church of Scotland is Scotland's national church, and the country's leader is a member represented by a special representative.

Over time, fewer people have been going to Church of Scotland services. The Church has also had money problems.

Other Presbyterian denominations

After joining with the United Free Church, some smaller Presbyterian groups stayed in Scotland. These included the Free Church of Scotland, United Free Church of Scotland, Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Associated Presbyterian Churches, and Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). There are also congregations from the International Presbyterian Church and the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster in Scotland.

In recent years, some people from the Church of Scotland have formed new groups.

Free Church of Scotland

The Free Church of Scotland is the second largest Presbyterian group in Scotland. Many of these churches are located in Scotland's Highlands and Islands, but some are also in cities and larger towns.

Scottish Episcopal Church

Main article: Scottish Episcopal Church

The Scottish Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican family. It began after a political change in 1689. Today, it has over 300 local churches. Membership has declined over the years.

Other Protestant denominations

Other Protestant groups in Scotland include Quakers, Baptists, Methodists, and Brethren. These groups have been in Scotland for many years.

Pentecostal churches also began in Scotland in the early 1900s.

Catholicism

Main article: Catholic Church in Scotland

Many Catholics moved to Scotland from countries like Italy, Lithuania, and Poland. Like other churches, the Catholic Church has seen fewer people attending services.

Orthodoxy

The Orthodox Christian churches (including Russian, Greek, and Coptic) have grown in Scotland.

Non-Trinitarian denominations

Some other Christian groups present in Scotland include the Jehovah's Witnesses and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).

Islam

Main article: Islam in Scotland

Islam is the second most followed religion in Scotland after Christianity. The first Muslim student in Scotland was Wazir Beg from Bombay, now Mumbai. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh in 1858 and 1859. Many sailors worked in Glasgow because of its busy port. Records from 1903 show that many of these sailors were Muslim. Most Muslims in Scotland today come from families who moved to the country more recently. In 2022, Muslims made up 2.2% of the population in Scotland. Two important mosques are Glasgow Central Mosque and Edinburgh Central Mosque. These mosques took many years to build and can hold many people for worship.

Judaism

Main article: History of the Jews in Scotland

In the late 1800s, many Jewish people came to Scotland from eastern Europe. They worked in jobs like tailoring, furniture making, and fur trading. Many settled in places like the Gorbals in Glasgow. By 1879, a synagogue was built in Garnethill. Over time, more Jewish people came to Scotland, including those fleeing from Nazism and the Second World War.

By the 2011 census, the number of Jewish people in Scotland had dropped to about 5,887. Most live near Glasgow, especially in East Renfrewshire. Like other religious groups, fewer young Jewish people are practicing their religion as they choose different paths or marry people from other backgrounds. Some have also moved to places like the US, England, and the Commonwealth for better opportunities.

Today, Jewish communities in Scotland are found in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Tayside and Fife. They are represented by the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities. There are also smaller groups like Jewish students in universities and Jewish people from Israel living in Scotland.

Sikhism

Main article: Sikhism in Scotland

In the 2022 census, about 0.2% of people in Scotland identified as Sikh. The history of Sikhism in Scotland began when Maharajah Duleep Singh moved to Scotland in 1854. The first Sikhs settled in Glasgow in the early 1920s. Most Sikhs in Scotland today come from families who moved to the country during the late 20th century.

Hinduism

Main article: Hinduism in Scotland

In the 2022 census, about 29,929 people in Scotland said they were Hindu. That is about 0.6% of the country’s population. Most of these Hindus have roots in India or nearby countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Many moved to Scotland after Idi Amin's expulsion from Uganda in the 1970s. Some also came from South Africa. There are a few Hindus from Indonesia and Afghanistan as well.

A temple opened in Glasgow in 2006 but was damaged by a fire in May 2010. There are also temples in Edinburgh and Dundee, and plans were announced in 2008 for a new temple in Aberdeen.

Modern Paganism

Main article: Modern Paganism in the United Kingdom

Many people in Scotland follow Modern Pagan religions such as Wicca, Druidry, and Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism. These beliefs grew from old traditions and new ideas in the twentieth century. Gerald Gardner started modern Wicca and shared it with people in Scotland in the 1950s. The Findhorn community, started in 1962 by Peter and Eileen Caddy, mixed many different beliefs together. Beautiful old places like stone circles attract those who follow these traditions. More people in Scotland identified as Pagan in recent years. The Scottish Pagan Federation has supported Modern Pagans in Scotland since 2006.

Buddhism

Main article: Buddhism in Scotland

In the 2022 census, around 15,500 people in Scotland said they were Buddhist. This means that about 0.3% of the population followed Buddhism.

Bahá'í Faith

Main article: Baháʼí Faith in Scotland

The Bahá'í Faith in Scotland began around 1905 when Scottish people met `Abdu'l-Bahá in Ottoman Palestine. One of the first Scottish followers was John Esslemont. In the 1940s, Bahá'ís started sharing their beliefs. This helped them gain new followers and form local groups called Spiritual Assemblies. By 2011, about 459 people in Scotland were Bahá'ís.

Irreligion

In Scotland, many people do not follow any religion. In the 2022 census, more than half of the people, about 51%, said they had no religious beliefs. This is a big jump from 2011, when only about 37% said the same.

Most of the rest of the people in Scotland identified as Christian. Many Christians belonged to the Church of Scotland, and some were part of the Catholic Church. Small groups followed other Christian traditions or Islam.

Ethnicity

The table shows the numbers of people with no religion among different ethnic groups and nationalities in Scotland.

Religious leaders

The Church of Scotland is led by a person called the Moderator of the General Assembly. This person helps organize the church's big yearly meeting but only serves for one year. Right now, the Moderator for 2025-2026 is Rosemary Frew from Bowden and Melrose Parish Church in Melrose.

In the Catholic Church in Scotland, Leo Cushley serves as the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh. He has been in this role since September 2013.

The Scottish Episcopal Church has a leader called the Primus. The current Primus is Mark Strange from the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness, and he has been in this role since June 2017.

Religious issues

See also: Sectarianism in Glasgow

Sectarianism became a problem in the twentieth century. During the time between the world wars, religious and ethnic tensions between Protestants and Catholics grew worse because of the Great Depression. Leaders of the Church of Scotland spread harmful ideas about Catholic Irish people in Scotland. This led to unfair treatment. After World War II, the Church began to change and became more open-minded. However, old attitudes still showed up in football rivalries, especially in Glasgow between Celtic, a team with many Catholic fans, and Rangers, a team with many Protestant fans.

From the 1980s, laws were passed to fight sectarian violence. These laws made it a crime to use threats or hateful behavior at football games. The Scottish Parliament also made new laws to punish crimes motivated by religion.

Relations between different churches in Scotland improved during the second half of the twentieth century. Groups like the Scottish Council of Churches and the Iona Community worked together to create new songs and support each other. However, some plans for churches to join together were not accepted.

Church attendance has gone down over time. By the 1920s, about half of people in Scotland were connected to a Christian church. This number went down but went back up in the 1950s. Since then, the number of people going to church has kept falling. In the 2022 Census, more than half of people in Scotland said they did not belong to any religion. Fewer people are going to church services now, with many saying they never or almost never go. Humanists in Scotland have been performing more marriages than any religious group since 2016.