This book is the first detailed discussion of the political history of the Scottish Church in the reign of James VI (1567-1625).

Contents: Introduction; The formative years, 1567-85; Compromise and conflict, 1586-92; The untidy tumble towards crisis, 1592-96; The road to consensus, 1597-1602; The regal union and the collapse of consensus, 1603-06; The new autocracy, 1606-10; New polity, new liturgy, 1610-25; Conclusion; Appendix: maps; Bibliography; Index.