March 3, 2026

Committees and religious politics at the Scottish General Assemblies, 1638-39

Key Points

The General Assemblies successfully maintained the unity of the protest movement against Charles I, despite competing viewpoints.
During the 1638 and 1639 Assemblies, the role of committees was crucial in promoting private discussions to navigate political challenges.
Political debates in the 1630s were characterized by increased public participation, influencing committee dynamics significantly.
The work of committees demonstrated the balance between public engagement and private deliberation in political strategy.

Abstract

This article explores the role of the Scottish General Assemblies of 1638 and 1639 in opposing the religious policies of Charles I. It investigates the activity of the committees that met during the General Assemblies and explores how they contained a broad range of competing voices. The article demonstrates that, against a background of greater public participation in the political debates of the 1630s, it was in the privacy of committee meetings that members of the General Assemblies found ways to maintain the unity of the protest movement against Charles I. The article contends that the Assemblies’ greatest success was in holding together the competing voices of the movement and it underscores the importance of private deliberations in a moment of increased public political participation.

Committees and religious politics at the Scottish General Assemblies, 1638-39

Key Points

Abstract

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