The Scottish Covenanters

This 55 minute DVD will be valuable to those interested in Presbyterian history, but also to those interested in the larger issue of freedom of worship. This DVD covers a period in Scottish history (roughly 1630-1680) when the state and its official church attempted to exert its power over those who worshiped differently, who believed that the state could not compel the conscience of any believer. The state responded with force, intimidation, arrest, and imprisonment. Many Covenanting Presbyterians were killed; many were martyred. The DVD is presented from the Presbyterian perspective but seems even-handed in its treatment of both sides. The DVD was produced in Scotland in about 2000. Worthwhile for small group study/discussion.

This is a documentary about the Scottish Covenanters, a group of 17th century Scottish Presbyterians, who led a war against King Charles I, an Anglican, were persecuted by his sons, Charles II and James II, died in large numbers for their faith, and were finally vindicated when James II was overthrown, and a new king and queen made Presbyterianism the national religion of Scotland again.The documentary presents the Covenanters as brave and noble martyrs for freedom of speech and religion.That's very one-sided. The Covenanters were also religious fanatics, and one of their goals was to wipe out other forms of religion in Scotland. While their initial revolt was sparked by Charles I's ill-advised attempt to introduce an Episcopalian prayer book within the staunchly Scottish Presbyterian national church, it rapidly spread into a complete overthrow of his authority, and a determination to stop Episcopalian and Roman Catholic Scots from practicing their faiths.I was shocked when the documentary went directly from the Covenanters' revolt to their persecution by King Charles II. The documentary literally skipped over a 12-year period in which the Covenanters ruled Scotland with an iron and bigoted fist. One modern historian has compared them to the Taliban of Afghanistan.I felt that the documentary should have given some air time to the Covenanters' faults, as well as their undoubted virtues.The documentary also has positive aspects. It presented the good side of the Covenanters in detail, and contains many interesting facts about their struggle to practice their faith free of government constraints. Viewers should just understand that it is interesting, but it will not present the Covenanters in their entire human complexity.

This was factual,not like telling a story.

I have found my search for solid backgrounding on the Scottish Covenanters to be an almost fruitless quest--at least until I came across this DVD. The topic of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Scottish religious history is frustrating because it involves clan warfare, clan division, distrust between highlanders and lowlanders, changing personal viewpoints, political turn-coating, the curious hatred of the Stuart dynasty for their Covenanting brethren, and the stubborn bull-headedness of a canny Scot (which I feel entitled to say since Highland blood flows in my veins)! Trying to sort it all out is worse than trying to follow the intrigues of a Byzantine palace. This documentary is the clearest explanation I have seen to date. The camera crew has gone out into the wilds of the Scottish highlands to show us the secret places where the Covenanters had to meet in order to practice the Presbyterian faith far from the prying eyes of the king's dragoons. Each of the speakers in the film seems to be a spiritual descendant (and possibly even a biological descendant) of the Covenanters. Great for Sunday School classes in the Reformed churches as well as for schools who wish to explain why America's founders so strongly desired the government to stay out of church doctrine. Also helpful for those reading Sir Walter Scott's Waverley novels.

Please bear with me while I attempt to explain why this video is vitally important to ALL people who desire a more comprehensive understanding of how our government, here in the States, was formed: It can not be denied that a great deal of emigrants from Scotland and Ireland were among the first cultural groups to settle these lands and began to form political practices. When you see the struggles that The Scottish Covenanters had and what they wanted to be free from, then you begin to understand where our founding fathers were coming from.Our faith in God was undeniably woven into the fabric of our political aspirations from The Declaration of Independence to The Federalist Papers. Any attempt to omit that fact invites opportunity for tyrannical rule to be re-introduced upon us and compels us to be subject to political whims of the times and social pressure instead of being subject to God and his statutes.

Interesting history in how English/Scottish politics and religion interplayed in 17th century Scotland. Lots on how the religious views of those in power resulted in real viciousness toward those who quietly disagreed, and more eye-opening events of the past that explain current-day Scottish coolness toward the English. I couldn't help having the impression that the narrator might have been promoting the glory of suffering for your religious persuasion that a truly objective historian would. In any case, this history provides a partial context within which our founding fathers (of the USA) existed, and some what motivated the content of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Good history to know. Seemed fairly accurate from what I’ve read.

I learned a lot from watching this video/documentary. I had not heard of the Scottish Covenanters before. There are so many religions in this world and religious freedom is very important no matter where you live of the country you are from. It is important that we respect each others religious freedom and way of worship. You can only be afraid of what you don't know. Learn, understand, and respect is your best defense.