Ronald Selby Wright
Encyclopedia
Ronald William Vernon Selby Wright CVO
TD
JP
FRSE
FSAScot
(12 June 1908, Glasgow
- 24 October 1995, Edinburgh
) was a Church of Scotland
minister.
Ronald Selby Wright (always known as Ronnie) was born in Glasgow in 1908. He became one of the best known Church of Scotland
ministers of his generation. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
in 1972.
At the age of three his family moved to Edinburgh. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy
, Melville College
and the University of Edinburgh
. He studied divinity at New College
, Edinburgh. He was probationer assistant at Glasgow Cathedral
in 1936, prior to becoming minister at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh in January 1937. His only ministerial charge, he would remain at Canongate until he retired in 1977. He turned down numerous offers, including the Chair in Practical Theology at the University of St Andrews and the Chaplaincy of the University of Aberdeen.
His ministry at Canongate Kirk was notable for his social concern, liturgical interest and for the restoration of the church building. His social concern was particularly reflected in the establishment of the Canongate Boys’ Club. During his ministry the Canongate
parish was one of the most run-down areas of Edinburgh, with considerable poverty — despite the presence of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the parish. He would also later serve as chaplain to a number of Edinburgh schools and edited some books for teenagers, such as Asking Them Questions. His social concern would also see him become actively involved in a wide range of activities in Edinburgh, including serving on the management of various institutions. He was an erudite man, the author of many books and he had a large personal library.
Before World War II
he had been a Territorial Army Chaplain, but in 1939 he was mobilised as a padre with The Royal Scots
regiment in France
. He managed to evade capture by the German Army and was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. During his military service the Revd George MacLeod
served as locum at Canongate Kirk.
Back in Scotland, Ronald Selby Wright was recruited by the BBC
to give a series of broadcasts. His direct, conversational style won deep appreciation and he acquired the nickname “The Radio Padre”. In 1942 he was appointed Senior Chaplain to the 52nd (Lowland) Division of the British Army, serving in Italy
, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Following the war, Ronald Selby Wright played a considerable role in renewing interest in liturgy in the Church of Scotland
. Drawing on John Knox
’s work (notably the Book of Common Order of 1564), he devised a liturgical order of service for use at Canongate Kirk, including considerable participation by the congregation (then highly unusual in the Church of Scotland.) He was very much of the ‘High Church’ tradition within the Church of Scotland; he was President of the Scottish Church Society
. He also oversaw the renovation and restoration of Canongate Kirk, through the removal of unsympathetic Victorian accretions (such as the galleries and an overbearing organ in front of the pulpit.) The church was thus restored to a dignified, aesthetic simplicity of high quality.
From 1946 he lived at 17 Regent Terrace
in Edinburgh.
He valued the church’s connections with the state and in 1961 became a Chaplain to The Queen. The Queen worships in Canongate Kirk when in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
(CVO) in 1986, Doctor of Divinity (DD) by the University of Edinburgh in 1956 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
(FRSE) in 1973.
He never married. He retired from Canongate Kirk in 1977 and continued to live in Edinburgh, where he died in 1995 at the age of 87.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
FRSE
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
FSAScot
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body in Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh...
(12 June 1908, 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...
- 24 October 1995, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
) was a Church of Scotland
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.
Ronald Selby Wright (always known as Ronnie) was born in Glasgow in 1908. He became one of the best known Church of Scotland
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....
ministers of his generation. He was 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 1972.
At the age of three his family moved to Edinburgh. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy
Edinburgh Academy
The Edinburgh Academy is an independent school which was opened in 1824. The original building, in Henderson Row on the northern fringe of the New Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, is now part of the Senior School...
, Melville College
Stewart's Melville College
Stewart's Melville College is an all boys boarding and day private school situated in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland...
and 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...
. He studied divinity at New College
New College, Edinburgh
New College was opened in 1846 as a college of the Free Church of Scotland, later of the United Free Church of Scotland, and from the 1930s has been the home of the School of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh...
, Edinburgh. He was probationer assistant at Glasgow Cathedral
Glasgow Cathedral
The church commonly known as Glasgow Cathedral is the Church of Scotland High Kirk of Glasgow otherwise known as St. Mungo's Cathedral.The other cathedrals in Glasgow are:* The Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew...
in 1936, prior to becoming minister at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh in January 1937. His only ministerial charge, he would remain at Canongate until he retired in 1977. He turned down numerous offers, including the Chair in Practical Theology at the University of St Andrews and the Chaplaincy of the University of Aberdeen.
His ministry at Canongate Kirk was notable for his social concern, liturgical interest and for the restoration of the church building. His social concern was particularly reflected in the establishment of the Canongate Boys’ Club. During his ministry the Canongate
Canongate
The Canongate is a small district at the heart of Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland.The name derives from the main street running through the area: called Canongate without the definite article, "the". Canongate forms the lower, eastern half of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh's historic Old Town....
parish was one of the most run-down areas of Edinburgh, with considerable poverty — despite the presence of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the parish. He would also later serve as chaplain to a number of Edinburgh schools and edited some books for teenagers, such as Asking Them Questions. His social concern would also see him become actively involved in a wide range of activities in Edinburgh, including serving on the management of various institutions. He was an erudite man, the author of many books and he had a large personal library.
Before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he had been a Territorial Army Chaplain, but in 1939 he was mobilised as a padre with The Royal Scots
The Royal Scots
The Royal Scots , once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest, and therefore most senior, infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland...
regiment in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He managed to evade capture by the German Army and was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. During his military service the Revd George MacLeod
George MacLeod
George Fielden MacLeod, Baron MacLeod of Fuinary, MC was a Scottish soldier and clergyman; he was one of the best known, most influential and unconventional Church of Scotland ministers of the 20th century. He was the founder of the Iona Community.-Early life:He was born in Glasgow in 1895...
served as locum at Canongate Kirk.
Back in Scotland, Ronald Selby Wright was recruited by 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...
to give a series of broadcasts. His direct, conversational style won deep appreciation and he acquired the nickname “The Radio Padre”. In 1942 he was appointed Senior Chaplain to the 52nd (Lowland) Division of the British Army, serving in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Following the war, Ronald Selby Wright played a considerable role in renewing interest in liturgy in the Church of Scotland
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....
. Drawing on John Knox
John Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
’s work (notably the Book of Common Order of 1564), he devised a liturgical order of service for use at Canongate Kirk, including considerable participation by the congregation (then highly unusual in the Church of Scotland.) He was very much of the ‘High Church’ tradition within the Church of Scotland; he was President of the Scottish Church Society
Scottish Church Society
The Scottish Church Society is a Church of Scotland society founded in 1892.Although always a minority within the Church of Scotland, the Society has at times proved influential. It grew out of the Church Service Society , but the Scottish Church Society does not confine itself to interest in...
. He also oversaw the renovation and restoration of Canongate Kirk, through the removal of unsympathetic Victorian accretions (such as the galleries and an overbearing organ in front of the pulpit.) The church was thus restored to a dignified, aesthetic simplicity of high quality.
From 1946 he lived at 17 Regent Terrace
Regent Terrace
Regent Terrace is a residential street of 34 classical 3-bay townhouses built on the tail of Calton Hill in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. Regent Terrace is within the Edinburgh New and Old Town UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1995.- Houses :...
in Edinburgh.
He valued the church’s connections with the state and in 1961 became a Chaplain to The Queen. The Queen worships in Canongate Kirk when in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(CVO) in 1986, Doctor of Divinity (DD) by the University of Edinburgh in 1956 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
(FRSE) in 1973.
He never married. He retired from Canongate Kirk in 1977 and continued to live in Edinburgh, where he died in 1995 at the age of 87.