Knighthood for theologian and former Moderator

A former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland said he was ‘literally speechless’ when told that he was to be knighted in the New Year Honours list.

The Very Rev Professor Iain Torrance was honoured for services to higher education and theology.

An internationally-renowned academic, Professor Torrance has been the pro Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen since 2013, prior to which he was president of Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, USA.

The son of another Moderator, the Very Rev Thomas F Torrance, Professor Torrance was born in Aberdeen and educated at Edinburgh, St Andrews and Oxford. He was ordained as a minister of Northmavine Parish Church, Shetland in 1982, where he stayed until 1985 before moving into academia. The award also recognises his service to the British Army. A former Territorial Army Chaplain, he visited every British unit serving in southern Iraq during his moderatorial year in 2003-4.

He is also a strong supporter of interfaith dialogue, and was presented with the ‘Friend for Life Award’ by Equality Scotland in 2004. As convener of the Church’s Theological Forum, he helped produce the report that led to last year’s General Assembly apologising for historic homophobia within the church.

Professor Torrance, who is Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and Dean of the Order of the Thistle, said: “It is an honour and a privilege to be recognised by Her Majesty the Queen for a lifetime of work that has been, and continues to be, a deep passion.”

Professor Torrance was one of several people with Church of Scotland connections recognised in the New Year Honours.

Grant Douglas, an elder at St Catherine’s Argyle Church in Edinburgh, was named MBE for services to people with disabilities. Grant, who has cerebral palsy, is the inventor of the S’up spoon, a spoon for people with shaky hands who have trouble feeding themselves with regular cutlery.

Since the spoon was launched in April 2015, over 2,000 have been sold worldwide and the spoon is on display in the London Design Museum and the Smithsonian Museum in New York. Grant said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be recognised for the work I have been doing to enable people with shaky hands to eat independently. I’m extremely grateful for all the support I have received in bringing my invention to disabled people around the world.”

Glenys Hughes, director of praise at Kirkwall East linked with Shapinsay Church, was also made an MBE for ‘Services to Music in Orkney and Charity in Malawi’.

Glenys is the former Director and now Honorary Vice-President of the St Magnus International Festival, and founded the Malawi Music Fund which raises money for musical education in the African country.

Jane Sloan, chair of Aldouran Wetland Garden at Leswalt near Stranraer, received an MBE for service to the community, including to Leswalt Church and MacMillan Cancer Research.

The Very Rev Professor Iain Torrance by Robyn Torrance

Alexander Duncan, East Region commissioner for the Scout Association, was named MBE for services to the Scouting Movement and the Vine Trust.

Also representing the uniformed organisations, Rosamund Ann Blair, County Vice-President of Girlguiding Dunbartonshire, and a Riding for the Disabled Instructor, becomes an MBE. And a husband and wife, Alan and Jennifer McIntosh, both received British Empire Medals for services to the Boys’ Brigade in Buckie, Moray. Mr McIntosh is Company Captain and Mrs McIntosh Officer in Charge of the Anchor Boys, 1st Buckie Company.

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This article appears in the February 2018 Issue of Life and Work

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