The passing of the Act saw the British Parliament recognise the Church's independence in spiritual matters, by giving legal recognition to the Articles Declaratory.

Monarchs tended to prefer the model of the Church of England, where the Crown had the power to appoint bishops, and various other forms of power over the Church (although it was not reduced to the complete state control found in Scandinavia).

The particular crisis came over the question of "lay patrons", who had the right to "present" (appoint) a minister.

However the courts generally upheld the rights of lay patrons, and thus the issue became one of Church and State.

It was declared that "no limitation of the liberty, rights, and powers in matters spiritual therein set forth shall be derived from any statute or law affecting the Church of Scotland in matters spiritual at present in force; it being hereby declared that in all questions of construction the Declaratory Articles shall prevail..." (s. 1).

In 2005, the House of Lords finally decided the case Percy (AP) v Church of Scotland Board of National Mission [2005] UKHL 73 [1], ruling that, despite the 1921 Act, a ministerial appointment created a contract subject to the jurisdiction of the civil courts and employment tribunals.