Donald Smith: Time to stop knocking Knox

IN OUR lifetime, John Knox has been blamed for everything bad about Scotland. The black-browed preacher has been made responsible for repression, lack of fun, bad sex, and hating women.

But for earlier generations Knox was a hero. He stood for every Scottish virtue: self-reliance, hard work, resisting injustice and overthrowing oppressors. Robert Burns and Thomas Carlyle were among his biggest fans.

Of course, Knox is neither black nor white. But don't be fooled; Knox is major, as big as it gets in the Scottish story, and his influence is still with us.

Take the positives first. Knox was a radical who challenged the establishment on the basis of principle. This year marks the 450th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation of 1560, which was a revolution. Knox's agenda lived on to influence everyone up to and including our Scottish Parliament. Knox preached respect for individual thought and conscience. That required education which in turn sowed the seeds of democracy and equality – all the modern ideals. Economic justice was also part of the package, including fair wages and a social security net for all.

Some of the negatives are about religion. Knox was dogmatic, pitting the authority of the Bible against the Church authorities. He claimed to know exactly what the Bible meant, and denounced Roman Catholics and freethinkers.

Knox was authoritarian and contributed to later centuries of bigotry. Yet he did not want to divide the Church, but reform it. He was certainly no woman-hater, but he did harness prejudice against woman rulers to attack Mary Tudor and Marie de Guise.

Knox is best remembered as someone who struggled for his cause courageously against the odds. More hero than villain.

Donald Smith is director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre which is marking the 450th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation with a series of talks, tours and theatre. Visit www.scottishstorytelling centre.com or call 0131-556 9579