Norman Shanks facts for kids

Norman Shanks was born on July 15, 1942. He is a retired minister from the Church of Scotland. Before he retired in June 2007, he was the minister at Govan Old Parish Church in Glasgow. Norman is married to Ruth, and they have a daughter, two sons, and seven grandchildren.

Early Life and Education

Norman Shanks went to Stirling High School. He then studied at the University of St Andrews, where he earned a Master of Arts degree in 1964. Later, he studied at the University of Edinburgh and received a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1982.

Working for the Government

Before becoming a minister, Norman Shanks worked for the government. He was a senior civil servant from 1964 to 1979. During this time, from 1975 to 1977, he was a Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Scotland. This role meant he helped a very important government official.

Church and Community Work

Norman Shanks has held many important roles in the church and in the community.

Roles in the Church

• From 1985 to 1988, he was a Chaplain at the University of Edinburgh. A chaplain is like a spiritual advisor.
• He taught Practical Theology at the University of Glasgow from 1988 to 1995.
• He led the Iona Community from 1995 to 2002. The Iona Community is a Christian group focused on justice and peace.
• From June 2002 to June 2003, he was the Moderator of the Presbytery of Glasgow. This means he was a leader for a group of churches in Glasgow.

Wider Community Involvement

Norman Shanks was also involved in several important committees and organizations:

• He led the Church of Scotland's Committee on Church and Nation from 1988 to 1992. This committee helps the church think about important issues in society.
• He was a member of the BBC Broadcasting Council for Scotland from 1988 to 1993. This council helped guide the BBC's work in Scotland.
• From 2000 to 2004, he was on the UK Board of Christian Aid. Christian Aid is a charity that helps people in poverty around the world.
• He was a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches from 1998 to 2006. This is a global organization that brings different Christian churches together. He also helped plan their big meeting in Brazil in 2006.
• From August 2010 to July 2016, he was a non-executive member of the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board. This board helps manage health services in that area.

Awards and Later Work

In June 2005, the University of Glasgow gave Norman Shanks an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. This is a special award for his contributions. He was also considered to be the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2007, which is a very high honor.

In 1999, he gave the Drummond Lecture at Stirling University. From September to December 2007, he was a visiting scholar at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, USA.

His book, Iona – God's energy: the vision and spirituality of the Iona Community, was first published in 1999. A new version of the book came out in 2009.