Religion in Scotland

As of the 2022 census, more than half of the people in Scotland said they did not belong to any religion. This was a big increase from the year 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 set out below.

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 likely came to southern Scotland when the Romans were there. Later, it spread mainly from Ireland starting 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, especially in how they calculated Easter and the style of tonsure, until they adopted 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. This change happened with less harsh treatment than in other places. Later conflicts over church leadership led to battles, but Presbyterianism, which emphasizes local church control, became the main way of organizing the church. Over time, the church split into different groups over leadership and beliefs, forming new churches. Despite these changes, the main Christian church in Scotland continued to evolve through the years.

Christianity

Protestantism

Church of Scotland (Presbyterian)

Main article: Church of Scotland

The British Parliament passed a law in 1921 to recognize the Church of Scotland as fully independent. Later laws settled church leadership issues, allowing the Church to unite with another group in 1929. 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 attending Church of Scotland services. From 1966 to 2006, the number of regular church members dropped from over 1.2 million to about 504,000. By 2023, membership fell further to around 259,000. In 2022, about 20.4% of Scots said they belonged to the Church of Scotland. The Church has also faced money problems, with a large debt in 2010. By 2023, around 60,000 people attended church services on Sundays, fewer than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other Presbyterian denominations

After joining with the United Free Church, some smaller Presbyterian groups remained 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 total, ten Presbyterian groups exist in Scotland.

In recent years, some people from the Church of Scotland have formed new groups, such as the Didasko Presbytery, which includes five churches.

Free Church of Scotland

The Free Church of Scotland is the second largest Presbyterian group in Scotland. In 2011, over 10,000 people identified with this church. By 2025, it had grown to 114 congregations. 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 when Scotland's national church changed its leadership style. Today, it has over 300 local churches. Membership has declined over the years. In 2022, around 23,500 people were members, with about 8,800 attending services each week.

Other Protestant denominations

Other Protestant groups in Scotland include Quakers, Baptists, Methodists, and Brethren. These groups have been in Scotland for many years. In the 2022 census, thousands of people identified with these groups.

Pentecostal churches also began in Scotland in the early 1900s. By 2022, more people identified as Pentecostal than before.

Catholicism

Main article: Catholic Church in Scotland

Many Catholics moved to Scotland from countries like Italy, Lithuania, and Poland. In 2023, there were around 676,000 Catholics in Scotland. Like other churches, the Catholic Church has seen fewer people attending services. In 2023, about 95,000 people attended Mass each week.

Orthodoxy

The Orthodox Christian churches (including Russian, Greek, and Coptic) have grown in Scotland. In the 2022 census, over 13,000 people identified as Orthodox.

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). In the 2011 census, thousands identified with these groups.

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 the years 1858 and 1859. Many sailors worked in Glasgow because of its busy port and trade. Records from 1903 show that many of these sailors were Muslim. Most Muslims in Scotland today come from families who moved to the country in recent years, with some people also choosing to join the religion. 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 to escape hardship. They often worked in jobs like tailoring, furniture making, and fur trading, and many settled in places like the Gorbals in Glasgow. By the end of that century, Glasgow had about 5,000 Jewish people. A synagogue was built in Garnethill in 1879. By 1903, over 8,000 Jewish people lived in Scotland. Later, people fleeing from Nazism and the Second World War also joined the community, which grew to around 80,000 by the middle of the last century.

By the 2011 census, the number of Jewish people in Scotland had dropped to about 5,887. Most Jewish people in Scotland live near Glasgow, especially in East Renfrewshire, where many of the community resides even though it is a small part of the overall population. Like other religious groups, the number of practising Jewish people is decreasing as younger generations choose different paths or marry people from other backgrounds. Many Scottish Jewish people have also moved to places like the US, England, and the Commonwealth for better opportunities.

Today, Jewish communities in Scotland include groups in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Tayside and Fife, all 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, or 10,988, identified as Sikh. The history of Sikhism in Scotland began when Maharajah Duleep Singh moved to Scotland in 1854 and lived in the Grandtully estate in Perthshire. The first Sikhs settled in Glasgow in the early 1920s, with the first Gurdwara built on South Portland Street. 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 badly 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 interest in 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, with numbers rising from the 2011 census to the 2022 census. The Scottish Pagan Federation has supported Modern Pagans in Scotland since 2006.

Buddhism

Main article: Buddhism in Scotland

In the 2022 census, about 15,501 people in Scotland said they were Buddhist. This means that 0.3% of the population followed Buddhism.

Bahá'í Faith

Main article: Baháʼí Faith in Scotland

The Bahá'í Faith in Scotland started 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 began sharing their beliefs widely. This led to new followers and the creation of local groups called Spiritual Assemblies. By 2011, about 459 people in Scotland said they were Bahá'ís.

Irreligion

In Scotland, many people do not follow any particular religion. According to the 2022 census, over half of the population, about 51.1%, said they had no religious beliefs. This is a big increase from 2011, when only about 36.7% said the same.

Most of the rest of the people in Scotland identified as Christian. Out of all Christians, many 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 serious 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 started a campaign against Catholic Irish people in Scotland, spreading harmful ideas about them. This led to unfair treatment and calls to keep jobs only for Protestants. 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, especially after World War I. By the 1920s, about half of people in Scotland were connected to a Christian church. This number went down to 40% during World War II 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. This is a big increase from earlier years. 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.