Angus Morrison (minister)


Angus Morrison, is a minister of the Church of Scotland who was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2015–2016. He had been nominated for the role a year earlier but withdrew because of ill health. He is an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen, appointed in 2006.

Early life and education

Morrison was born in Glencoe, Scotland, in 1953. His father worked for the Northern Lighthouse Board and, as a child, Morrison lived in various places around Scotland and went to school in Oban, Stromness and Edinburgh. He studied Classics and Divinity at the University of Glasgow, followed by studies at the Universities of Pisa and London. He studied for a doctorate at New College of the University of Edinburgh.

Ordained ministry

Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland and Associated Presbyterian Churches

Highly unusually for a Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Morrison was not ordained by the Church of Scotland. He was ordained by the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1979. He served as a minister in Oban between 1979 and 1986, and as a minister in Edinburgh between 1986 and 1989. During the latter period, he served as Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church's Southern Presbytery.
Following a split in the Free Presbyterian Church in 1989, Morrison joined the Associated Presbyterian Churches. He became minister of the Edinburgh congregation of the APC, serving from 1989 to 2000. He was also Moderator of the General Assembly of the APC during the 1998 to 1999 session.

Church of Scotland

In 2000, Morrison became a minister of the Church of Scotland. He served as minister of St Columba's Old Parish Church, Stornoway, before moving to Orwell and Portmoak Parish Church in 2011. Within the Church of Scotland he served as the Moderator of the Presbytery of Lewis for the 2003 to 2004 session, Convener of the Mission and Discipleship Council and Chaplain to the Lord High Commissioner.
On 29 October 2013 he was nominated to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for 2014–15. In March 2014, two months ahead of taking up the role, the Church of Scotland announced that Morrison had withdrawn his nomination as Moderator on grounds of ill health, Following this, John Chalmers was selected to be Moderator ahead of the 2014–15 session. On 28 October 2014 Morrison was again successfully nominated to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, for 2015–16.

Personal life

He can speak Gaelic and Italian as well as English. He is married and has four children.