The Responses of Scottish Churchmen to the French Revolution, 1789–1802

Abstract

Despite initial enthusiasm for the Revolution in France, most Scottish clergymen of all denominations preached and published loyalism in the 1790s. Even most Evangelicals and Seceders temporarily put aside any reformist convictions they had in favour of conservatism during the decade to 1802, though they were more likely than Church of Scotland Moderates to retain some sympathy for political liberalism and to oppose the war against France. The Haldane movement was blamed on revolutionary principles, and may have benefited from popular political energy, but constantly tried to dissociate itself from radical politics.