Alison Elliot facts for kids

Alison Elliot was born on November 27, 1948. She is a well-known Scottish academic and church leader. She is an honorary fellow at New College, Edinburgh. She used to be an Associate Director at the Centre for Theology and Public Issues at the University of Edinburgh.

In 2004, Alison Elliot made history. She became the first woman ever to be chosen as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. This is a very important leadership role. She was also the first person who was not a minister to hold this position since 1567!

Early Life and Education

Alison Elliot was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1948. She went to Bathgate Academy for her schooling. Later, she studied at two universities: the University of Edinburgh and the University of Sussex.

Her Career and Church Work

Alison Elliot's main job was in psychology, which is the study of the mind. She taught psychology at the University of Lancaster and the University of Edinburgh. She also wrote two books: Child Language (1981) and The Miraculous Everyday (2005).

However, many people know her best for her important work with the church.

• From 1996 to 2000, she led the Committee on Church and Nation for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
• She was also a session clerk at Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh.
• Alison was very involved in building good relationships between different Christian churches. This is called ecumenical work.
• She was a member of the Central Committee of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) from 2003 to 2009. She even led their big meeting in Lyon, France, in 2009.
• She played a key role in a group called Action of Churches Together in Scotland.

Becoming a Moderator

In 2004, Alison Elliot was chosen as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. This was a huge moment because she was the first woman to ever hold this top position. She received an award called the OBE for her work in bringing churches together.

Later Achievements

In 2016, Alison Elliot received a special award. She was given the Scottish Public Service Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award. She was only the third person to ever get this honor.

She is also a founding board member of the Palestine Festival of Literature. Since 2007, she has been the leader of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. This group helps many charities and volunteer groups in Scotland.

In 2018, she became the General Secretary of The Royal Society of Edinburgh. She has been a Fellow of this important society since 2008.

Family Life

Alison Elliot is married to John Elliot. They live in Edinburgh and have two children.

Artistic Recognition

In 2004, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery asked an artist named Jennifer McRae to paint a portrait of Alison Elliot. This shows how important her work and achievements are.

See also

• General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
• List of moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland