The response of the Free Church of Scotland to the First World War, 1914-1919

Anderson, Nigel (2018) The response of the Free Church of Scotland to the First World War, 1914-1919. MTh(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The role of religion, and of Christianity in particular, in the context of a doctrinally conservative denomination engaging with theological issues arising from war should be investigated, with the Free Church of Scotland as a benchmark for such a study. That a study of the Free Church of Scotland - a small Presbyterian denomination - in relation to a war defined as “Great” should be undertaken presupposes the importance of religion as a contributing factor in understanding the conflict from small as well as large religious institutions. Thus, the theological and moral aspects of the War relating to divine causation of war, the nature of salvation in the context of death in battle, eschatological interpretation of the War and spiritual comfort and revivification as a result of warfare should be analysed through the spectrum of a denomination facing up to the challenges that war presented in these areas, challenges that the Free Church sought to meet with a robust determination to maintain its traditional confessional teaching.

• Item Type: Thesis (MTh(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: Free Church of Scotland, Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Church of Scotland, United Free Church of Scotland, theology, causes of war, morality of war, higher criticism, divine judgement, national apostasy, sabbath, Roman Catholicism, armageddon, inter-denominational relations, theology of death, chaplaincy, spiritual impact.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > Theology and Religious Studies
• Supervisor's Name: Macintosh, Professor John
• Date of Award: 2018
• Depositing User: Rev. Nigel Anderson
• Unique ID: glathesis:2018-8934
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 26 Apr 2018 09:09
• Last Modified: 02 May 2018 10:48
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/8934