The Relationship Between Church and State in the United Kingdom, David Torrance's House of Commons Library research briefing, paper CBP 8886, in circulation since at least December 2018 and updated regularly since, most recently in July 2026, covers the Church of England's establishment structure, including the Supreme Governor title settled in 1559 and the General Synod's measures requiring parliamentary approval, and its different, non governed relationship with the established Church of Scotland. Its strength is that it is an official parliamentary publication produced and revised to a citation standard comparable to academic scholarship. Its limit is that it is a policy briefing rather than academic scholarship, and no single publication year is given here because it is a continuously updated official document rather than a dated publication.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier1
David Torrance's House of Commons Library research briefing on the relationship between church and state in the United Kingdom, the top tier reflecting an official parliamentary publication produced and revised to a citation standard comparable to academic scholarship, continuously updated rather than a single dated edition. Its limit is the ordinary one for any policy briefing: it is Parliament's own research service summarizing the settled legal and constitutional position rather than an independent academic critique of it. NotesOfficial House of Commons Library research briefing, in circulation since at least December 2018 per an archived copy and updated regularly since, most recently July 2026. Covers the Church of England's establishment structure (the Supreme Governor title, settled 1559; the General Synod's measures requiring parliamentary approval) and its different, non-governed relationship with the established Church of Scotland. An official parliamentary publication, not academic scholarship, but produced and revised to a comparable citation standard.
Citation
AuthorDavid Torrance, House of Commons Library
PublisherHouse of Commons Library (briefing paper CBP-8886)
URLhttps://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8886/
Source TypeGovernment report
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Church of Scotland directly: "relationship with the established Church of Scotland."
This source names United Kingdom directly: "Between Church and State in the United Kingdom, David Torrance's House of Commons Library research briefing, paper CBP 8886, in circulation since at least December 2018 and updated regularly since..."
Claims Backed By This Source (14 claims)
This source backs 14 claims across the atlas. As facts: 9 well-attested. As cited relationships: 2 holds. Plus 3 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 9 claims: 7 well-attested, 2 holds.
- Articles, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Countries, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Historical Figures, 1 claims: 1 general references.
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