[Political Interest]

I heard somewhere that most of the Catholics in Scotland descend from Irish immigrants or from highlanders.

Before the reformation and Scotland's conversion to Protestantism, were most of the native Scots, both highlander and lowlander Catholic or were there still divisions?

[The Clockwork Rat]

The West coast had a higher proportion of Irish descendants. The North and East contained greater mixes of Scandinavians, and the Lowlands tended to be closer to the Anglo-Saxon mix of Northern England.

Basically, it depended on where the invaders came from.

[Political Interest]

I see. Does this mean that even before the Reformation there were various different churches in Scotland, or was it just the Catholic church?

[Heisenberg]

Well, before the Reformation, there were no other churches in the West. However, the Scottish Reformation didn't officially happen until 1560, more than 40 years after Luther's Ninety-Five Theses were published. Much like in other countries, Protestantism spread, but officially, Scotland was still Catholic for a long time. I don't know how the spread of Protestantism broke down between the various ethnic groups, though.

[layman]

Also, it was calvinist.

[The Clockwork Rat]

Paganism was usually blended with Catholicism, especially in the Highlands and Islands, and this mix was a constant thorn in reformers' sides. The clan communities were long referred to as heathens.

[Political Interest]

Well, before the Reformation, there were no other churches in the West. However, the Scottish Reformation didn't officially happen until 1560, more than 40 years after Luther's Ninety-Five Theses were published. Much like in other countries, Protestantism spread, but officially, Scotland was still Catholic for a long time. I don't know how the spread of Protestantism broke down between the various ethnic groups, though.

I see. Therefore we can say that before Protestantism emerged Scotland was a majority Catholic country, even in the lowlands? Would most of the Presbyterians of today have had Catholic ancestors?

I also heard that there was a Celtic Church. Did it get absorbed into the Roman Church?

Paganism was usually blended with Catholicism, especially in the Highlands and Islands, and this mix was a constant thorn in reformers' sides. The clan communities were long referred to as heathens.

I think this was the case in a lot of countries. They blended paganism to make the transition to Christianity easier.

[Heisenberg]

I see. Therefore we can say that before Protestantism emerged Scotland was a majority Catholic country, even in the lowlands? Would most of the Presbyterians of today have had Catholic ancestors?

If you go back far enough, yeah. Protestantism arose from within the Catholic Church, after all.

I also heard that there was a Celtic Church. Did it get absorbed into the Roman Church?

Celtic Christianity was more of a set of traditions and customs than a Church in its own right. During the early years of Christianity, there was very little standardisation of liturgy, or even the acceptance of Rome as the centre of Christendom. Celtic Christians were not particularly unique in having distinct practices from other parts of the world, but they wouldn't really have constituted a separate Church because of that. By the time of the Reformation, though, Britain and Ireland had been a part of the Roman church for several centuries.

Also, it was calvinist.

Damn straight.

[Political Interest]

If you go back far enough, yeah. Protestantism arose from within the Catholic Church, after all.

Was this the case even in the lowlands? How far back do you have to go? Was Scotland mostly Catholic in the 1400s?

Celtic Christianity was more of a set of traditions and customs than a Church in its own right. During the early years of Christianity, there was very little standardisation of liturgy, or even the acceptance of Rome as the centre of Christendom. Celtic Christians were not particularly unique in having distinct practices from other parts of the world, but they wouldn't really have constituted a separate Church because of that. By the time of the Reformation, though, Britain and Ireland had been a part of the Roman church for several centuries.

By what time had the Celtic Church been fully assimilated into the Roman one in Scotland?

[Heisenberg]

Was this the case even in the lowlands? How far back do you have to go? Was Scotland mostly Catholic in the 1400s?

Yes. Pretty much all of Western Europe was.

By what time had the Celtic Church been fully assimilated into the Roman one in Scotland?

The Celtic Church was never separate from Rome - it just had some different traditions (most notably, regarding the dating of Easter). The "full" unification occurred over a period of maybe 20-30 years in the 8th century, when the Easter dating was brought into line with Rome. The British and Irish churches were still in communion with the Pope before that, though.