"Charles Ellson" wrote in message

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.

What a pity the English situation is different. It seems so bizarre that
in a largely non-religious country that there is still a state religion,
with bishops voting in parliament. And as a taxpayer I strongly
disapprove of state money going into religious schools. I'm perfectly
happy for religions to run schools if they choose to do so, but I don't
want any of my taxes going into them. And it's even worse that parents
have to feign faith so that their children can get into state-funded
schools.