Iain Torrance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iain Torrance |
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| Moderator of the General Assembly | |
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Torrance in 2011
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| Church | Church of Scotland |
| In Office | 2003 to 2004 |
| Predecessor | Finlay Macdonald |
| Successor | Alison Elliot |
| Other posts | Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland (2013–19) Dean of the Thistle (2014–19) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 23 January 1982 |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Iain Richard Torrance |
| Born | 13 January 1949 Aberdeen, Scotland |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Spouse |
Morag Ann Torrance
(m. 1975) |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Retired academic |
Sir Iain Richard Torrance (born 13 January 1949) is a retired Church of Scotland minister, a theologian, and a professor. He has held many important roles. These include being the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen and an Honorary Professor at the University of Edinburgh. He was also the President of Princeton Theological Seminary in the United States. Sir Iain has served as an Extra Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland. He was also the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, a very important leader in the Church of Scotland. He was also the Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and the Dean of the Thistle. He is married to Morag Ann and they have two children.
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About Iain Torrance
Iain Torrance was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. His father, Thomas Forsyth Torrance, was also a well-known theologian and a Moderator of the Church of Scotland. Iain went to school at the Edinburgh Academy and Monkton Combe School. He then studied at the University of Edinburgh, the University of St Andrews, and Oriel College, Oxford. He earned degrees in Arts, Divinity, and a PhD. His PhD research was about old Christian writings.
Early Career in the Church
After finishing his studies, Torrance became a minister in the Church of Scotland. He was ordained on 23 January 1982. His first church was in Northmavine, a parish in the Shetland Islands. This area is known for its beautiful cliffs.
Military Service
In 1982, he also became a chaplain in the British Army's Royal Army Chaplains' Department. He served with the Territorial Army, which is a part-time reserve force. He was a chaplain for soldiers and later for the Army Cadet Force. In 1995, he received the Efficiency Decoration (Territorial) award for his twelve years of service. He left the army in 2000.
Teaching and Academic Work
In 1985, Torrance started teaching New Testament studies at Queen's College, Edgbaston in Birmingham. This college works with different Christian groups. In 1989, he moved to the University of Birmingham to teach about early Christian history and the New Testament. He also became involved in talks between different Christian churches.
In 1993, he joined the University of Aberdeen. He became a professor there in 1999. From 2001 to 2004, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Divinity at the university. This meant he was in charge of many subjects like arts and religious studies.
Royal Appointments
In 2001, he was appointed a Chaplain-in-Ordinary to Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland. This is an honorary role. Later, in 2013, the Queen appointed him Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland. In 2014, he also became the Dean of the Thistle. These are important roles connected to the Royal Family and a special Scottish order of knights. He retired from these royal roles in 2019.
Later Work and Reviews
In 2021, the Scottish Episcopal Church asked Professor Torrance to lead an independent review. This review looked into problems within a church area called the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney. His report found that there were serious issues in the diocese. He suggested changes to help improve the situation.
Moderator of the Church of Scotland
Iain Torrance served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 2003 to 2004. This is the highest position in the Church of Scotland. During his time as Moderator, he traveled a lot. He was the first Moderator to visit churches in China. In 2004, he also visited British soldiers in Southern Iraq, which was a risky trip. He also visited a peacekeeping force in Eritrea and preached in southern Sudan.
After his year as Moderator, his formal title became the Very Reverend Professor Iain Torrance.
President of Princeton Theological Seminary
On 1 July 2004, Iain Torrance became the sixth president of Princeton Theological Seminary in the United States. He was officially installed on 11 March 2005. Many important people from universities and churches attended his inauguration.
While at Princeton, Torrance worked to improve the seminary's programs. He also helped with big renovation projects. This included updating the seminary library and rebuilding student housing. He retired from this role on 31 December 2012.
Promoting Dialogue
Torrance has always supported dialogue between different religions. He publicly supported a document called A Common Word Between Us and You, which aimed to build understanding between Muslims and Christians. In 2010, he was chosen to be part of a group of religious leaders working on global dialogue.
Academic Roles and Contributions
Iain Torrance has had a long and distinguished career in academia. He has held many teaching and leadership positions at various universities.
- Co-editor of the Scottish Journal of Theology (1982–2015)
- Lecturer in New Testament, Queen's College, Edgbaston, Birmingham (1985–1989)
- Lecturer in New Testament and patristics, University of Birmingham (1989–1993)
- Lecturer in Divinity, University of Aberdeen (1993–1997)
- Senior Lecturer in Divinity, University of Aberdeen (1997–1999)
- Professor of Patristics and Christian Ethics, University of Aberdeen (1999–2004)
- Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Divinity, University of Aberdeen (2001–2004)
- Master, Christ's College, Aberdeen (2001–2004)
- President, Princeton Theological Seminary (2004–2012)
- Honorary Professor of Early Christian Doctrine and Ethics, University of Edinburgh (since 2013)
- Pro-Chancellor, University of Aberdeen (since 2013)
- Convener of the Church of Scotland's Theological Forum (2013–2017)
Awards and Special Honours
Sir Iain Torrance has received many awards and honours for his work.
- Awarded Efficiency Decoration (Territorial) (TD), 1995
- Chaplain-in-Ordinary to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland, 2001 to 2019
- Professor emeritus, Aberdeen University, 2004
- Honorary DD from the University of St Andrews and Aberdeen University, 2005, and University of Edinburgh, 2012
- Honorary DTheol, Debrecen Reformed Theological University, 2006
- Elected Fellow (FRSE) of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), 2007
- Honorary LHD, King University, 2007
- Honorary Distinguished Alumnus, Princeton Theological Seminary, 2012
- James I. McCord Award for "outstanding contributions to ecumenical scholarship," 2012
- Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland, July 2013 to July 2019
- Dean of the Order of the Thistle, August 2014 to July 2019
- Appointed Officer of the Order of St John, 2015
- Appointed Knight Bachelor (Kt) in 2018 for his services to education and theology. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
- Appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 2019.
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Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order | 2019 |
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Knight Bachelor | 2018 |
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Officer of the Order of St John | 2015 |
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Efficiency Decoration (Territorial) | 1995 |
His Coat of Arms
Professor Torrance has a special coat of arms. In 2016, he was granted "supporters" for his arms. Supporters are special figures, like animals, that stand on either side of the shield in a coat of arms. This is a very high honour, usually given to royalty or very important knights. It was given to him because of his great service to education, the Church of Scotland, and the Crown. The two dachshunds shown on his arms are Maud and Cassiopea, his pet dogs.
The Torrance Family in Theology
Iain Torrance comes from a family with a strong background in theology. His father, Thomas F. Torrance, was a famous theologian and also served as Moderator of the Church of Scotland. His cousin, Alan Torrance, is a professor of Systematic Theology at St Andrews University. His uncle, James B. Torrance, was also a professor of Systematic Theology.
