Norman Shanks facts for kids

Norman Shanks was born on 15 July 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. He is married to Ruth and has a family with a daughter, two sons, and seven grandchildren.

Early Life and Education

Norman Shanks went to school at Stirling High School. He then studied at two universities. He attended the University of St Andrews, finishing in 1964. Later, he studied at the University of Edinburgh, completing his degree in 1982.

Before becoming a minister, Norman worked for the government. He was a senior civil servant from 1964 to 1979. This means he held an important job helping the government run the country. For part of this time, from 1975 to 1977, he was a Private Secretary. He helped the Secretary of State for Scotland, who is a very important government official in Scotland.

Church and Community Work

Norman Shanks has held many important roles in the church and wider community. From 1988 to 1992, he was the Convener of the Church of Scotland's Committee on Church and Nation. This group helps the church think about important issues in society.

He was also involved with the BBC (a big broadcasting company) in Scotland. He was a member of their Broadcasting Council from 1988 to 1993. From 2000 to 2004, he served on the UK Board of Christian Aid. Christian Aid is a charity that helps people in need around the world.

Roles in Universities and Communities

Norman Shanks worked as a Chaplain at the University of Edinburgh from 1985 to 1988. A chaplain provides spiritual support and guidance. After that, he taught at the University of Glasgow. He was a Lecturer in Practical Theology from 1988 to 1995.

From 1995 to 2002, he was the Leader of the Iona Community. This is a Christian community that focuses on peace, justice, and environmental issues. It is based on the island of Iona in Scotland.

Leadership in the Church

Norman Shanks served as the Moderator of the Presbytery of Glasgow. This is a leadership role within the local church area. He held this position from June 2002 to June 2003.

He was also a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches from 1998 to 2006. This is a worldwide organization that brings together many different Christian churches. He helped plan their 9th Assembly, which was a big meeting held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in February 2006.

Later Life and Achievements

In June 2005, the University of Glasgow gave Norman Shanks an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. This is a special award given to people who have made important contributions.

In 2007, he was one of three people considered to be the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. This is the highest position in the Church of Scotland.

He was a special lecturer at Stirling University in 1999. 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. 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 the Glasgow area.