The Presbyterian Churches in Victorian Scotland underwent what has been termed a ‘liturgical revolution’ (p. xvi). Early nineteenth-century Scottish Presbyterian services had been characterised by rugged simplicity – with long sermons, long extempore prayers and congregational singing of Psalms without instrumental accompaniment, often in white-washed church interiors. Most congregations celebrated the Lord's Supper once a year. But beginning in the later 1850s, there were a series of profound changes in Scottish Presbyterian worship, which became more diverse, aesthetic, sacramental and emotive, changing the nature of Scottish devotional life. In this engaging, thoroughly researched book, the distinguished liturgical scholar, Bryan Spinks, explores Presbyterian Scotland's liturgical revolution, giving particular attention to the Church of Scotland, and carrying the story of liturgical innovation up to the present. As Spinks shows, Presbyterian Scotland's liturgical revolution began in Edinburgh's historic Greyfriars church. In 1857, following the rebuilding of the church after a disastrous fire, the minister, Robert Lee, introduced a series of innovations, including a printed prayer book, an organ, a trained, robed choir, hymns and stained-glass windows. In this he was influenced by liturgical practices within the Church of England associated with the Oxford Movement and by examples of worship on the European continent. Conservative Presbyterians were outraged and sought to have Lee deposed from the ministry for his innovations. They might have succeeded at the General Assembly of 1866, had he not suffered a stroke, leading to his early death. But by now other ministers within the Church of Scotland were embracing the spirit of liturgical innovation, with growing support from congregations attracted by richer devotional expressions. Innovators formed the Church Service Society (1865), the Scottish Church Society (1892) and the Scottish Ecclesiological Society (1903) to promote the study of historic liturgies, preparation of service books, restoration of churches and cathedrals, and an enhanced sense of the Church of Scotland as a branch of the ancient catholic and apostolic Church. From the 1870s there was a rapid spread of organs and choirs, congregational hymn-singing, printed hymnals, more frequent celebrations of communion and stained glass. Other Presbyterian Churches – the Free Church and United Presbyterians – adopted similar liturgical innovations (although there was also resistance to change and a continuance of older worship patterns, especially in the Highlands). The decades from the Second World War saw further innovations in Presbyterian worship, including efforts, associated with the Iona Community, to include expressions of Celtic spirituality. Spinks closes his authoritative account with descriptions of more recent innovations in worship, associated with ecumenism, inclusive language, popular music and children's participation, although it is not clear that the continuing changes, however worthy, are having much success in addressing the serious decline in Scottish Presbyterian church attendances that began in the 1970s.