On 27 Aug 2011 18:39:49 GMT, "Michael R N Dolbear"
wrote:

Charles Ellson wrote

a Union that has State Churches, to wit the Episcopalians in England
and Northern Ireland, and the Presbyterians in Scotland.

There is no state church in Scotland and the Church of Ireland was
disestablished in 1869.

What's your reasoning here ?

The Church of Scotland is just as "by law established" as the Church of
England if more independent inasmuch as they won't let parliament mess
with their doctrine.

The Church of Scotland was not created or "approved" by the law of any
government of Scotland or the UK.
The Church of Scotland always disclaimed a state connection and this
was acknowledged by the government in the Church of Scotland Act 1921,
see :-
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/11-12/29

The independence from the state is declared in Articles V and VI in
the Schedule to that Act and acknowledged in s.1.

"This Church has the inherent right, free from interference by civil
authority, but under the safeguards for deliberate action and
legislation provided by the Church itself, to frame or adopt its
subordinate standards, .........." [beginning of Article V.]

Not only will the Kirk not tolerate state interference, the state
itself acknowledges it has no business in its government.