Norman Shanks
Encyclopedia
Norman Shanks is an ordained Church of Scotland
minister, who prior to his retirement in June 2007 was minister of Govan Old Parish Church
, Glasgow
. He is married to Ruth, and has a daughter and two sons, and six grandchildren.
He was Convener of the Church of Scotland's Committee on Church and Nation
from 1988 to 1992, a member of the BBC
Broadcasting Council for Scotland from 1988-93 and the UK Board of Christian Aid
from 2000-04. Educated at Stirling High School and the Universities of St Andrews (MA, 1964) and Edinburgh (BD, 1982), before entering the ministry he served as a senior civil servant from 1964 to 1979, including a term (1975-77) as Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Scotland
.
He was Chaplain
to the University of Edinburgh
from 1985-88, Lecturer in Practical Theology at the University of Glasgow
from 1988-95 and Leader of the Iona Community
from 1995 to 2002 and served as Moderator of the Presbytery of Glasgow from June 2002 to June 2003. From 1998 to 2006 he was a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches
and served as moderator of the planning committee for the 9th Assembly of the WCC, held in Porto Alegre
, Brazil
in February 2006. In August 2010 he was appointed as a non-executive member of the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board
He received an honorary DD
from the University of Glasgow in June 2006 and was one of three candidates for nomination to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
in 2007. In 1999 he was Drummond Lecturer at Stirling University and from September to December 2007 was a visiting scholar at Columbia Theological Seminary
, Decatur
, Georgia
, USA. A revised edition of his book 'Iona - God's energy: the vision and spirituality of the Iona Community', originally published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1999, was published in 2009 by Wild Goose Publications.
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
minister, who prior to his retirement in June 2007 was minister of Govan Old Parish Church
Govan Old Parish Church
Govan Old Parish Church was a parish church in the Church of Scotland, serving Govan in Glasgow. It was also known as "St Constantine's". Since 2007, the congregation has become part of Govan and Linthouse Parish. Govan Old Church is no longer used for regular Sunday services, but the building...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. He is married to Ruth, and has a daughter and two sons, and six grandchildren.
He was Convener of the Church of Scotland's Committee on Church and Nation
Church and Society Council
The Church and Society Council is an agency of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is tasked with facilitating the Church's engagement with, and comment upon, national, political and social issues.The Council's remit, is to do this by:...
from 1988 to 1992, a member of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Broadcasting Council for Scotland from 1988-93 and the UK Board of Christian Aid
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...
from 2000-04. Educated at Stirling High School and the Universities of St Andrews (MA, 1964) and Edinburgh (BD, 1982), before entering the ministry he served as a senior civil servant from 1964 to 1979, including a term (1975-77) as Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
.
He was Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
from 1985-88, Lecturer in Practical Theology at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
from 1988-95 and Leader of the Iona Community
Iona Community
The Iona Community, founded in 1938 by the Rev George MacLeod, is an ecumenical Christian community of men and women from different walks of life and different traditions in the Christian church....
from 1995 to 2002 and served as Moderator of the Presbytery of Glasgow from June 2002 to June 2003. From 1998 to 2006 he was a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
and served as moderator of the planning committee for the 9th Assembly of the WCC, held in Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in February 2006. In August 2010 he was appointed as a non-executive member of the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board
He received an honorary DD
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
from the University of Glasgow in June 2006 and was one of three candidates for nomination to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Moderator of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland is a Minister, Elder or Deacon of the Church of Scotland chosen to "moderate" the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every May....
in 2007. In 1999 he was Drummond Lecturer at Stirling University and from September to December 2007 was a visiting scholar at Columbia Theological Seminary
Columbia Theological Seminary
Columbia Theological Seminary is one of the ten theological institutions affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . It is located in Decatur, Georgia. Dr. Stephen A. Hayner is the seminary's president.-Description:...
, Decatur
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, USA. A revised edition of his book 'Iona - God's energy: the vision and spirituality of the Iona Community', originally published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1999, was published in 2009 by Wild Goose Publications.