Children of the Reformation

In 2010 we mark the 450th anniversary of the Reformation, an event which left an indelible legacy in Scottish society. In Children of the Reformation, Billy Kay explores the history of some of the smaller denominations with a long pedigree in Scotland e.g. the Quakers of the 17th century, the Methodists of the 18th century and the Congregationalist who continued the Covenanting tradition of the West of Scotland. The great Labour leader Keir Hardie was himself influenced by the demotic popular evangelism of the Congregationalists in Ayrshire.

We also trace the story of the Baptist and Brethren denominations, and their popularity in our mining and fishing communities - one commentator suggests that the Brethren appealed to men working in dangerous conditions as they offered a guarantee of salvation in the afterlife. Sabbatarianism is now associated with the Western Isles, but we discover that a few decades ago the same atmosphere prevailed in places as far apart as Peterhead and Galston.

The smaller churches thrived during the great Evangelical religious revivals which swept through Scotland every few decades of the 19th and 20th centuries. We hear the beautiful Moody and Sankey hymns which became part of popular culture following the Revival of the 1870's and the voices of women from the fishing communities of Nairn and Lossiemouth that Billy recorded 30 years ago for his oral history series Odyssey. They used to sing hymns like When the Mists have Rolled Away, Will Your Anchor Hold, and the Sands of Time are Sinking as they gutted fish during the herring boom.

The Quakers always had a strong social conscience - many of their businesses were founded on Temperance principles and offered alternatives to alcohol...hence Rowntrees, Cadburys ad Bewlays. In Dundee, the Braithwaites are coffee and tea merchants, and June Braithwaite recalls the work done by the church for the poor bairns in the city. At one time there were so many Methodist Sunday Schools in Glasgow that they organised their own league for their football teams! We hear children's memories of the Seaside Missions and the songs they learned - complete with actions - there and in the Evangelistic Halls.

For a majority of Scots, knowledge of other churches can be scant and based on stereotypes. This series reveals the deep historic roots of all the major denominations in Scotland and explores their relevance to the future of the country.

An Odyssey Production for Radio Scotland. Show less