The Very Reverend

Iain Greenshields
Moderator of the General Assembly
Greenshields in 2022
ChurchChurch of Scotland
In officeMay 2022 to May 2023
PredecessorJim Wallace
SuccessorSally Foster-Fulton
Other post(s)Minister of St Margaret's Community Church, Dunfermline
Orders
Ordination1984
Personal details
BornMarch 1954
DenominationPresbyterian

Iain MacLeod Greenshields is a Church of Scotland minister, who served as Moderator of the General Assembly from 2022 to 2023.[1] He undertook key roles as Moderator for the funeral of Elizabeth II and the Coronation of Charles III. He was ordained in 1984,[2] and currently serves as minister of St Margaret's Community Church in Dunfermline, Fife where he has been a minister for 16 years. His wife Linda is a teacher of religious, moral and philosophical studies at Levenmouth Academy, Buckhaven.She has taught for 42 years.

Education and career

The son of a Glasgow police officer, Greenshields grew up in Glasgow and studied theology at the University of Glasgow.[3] His first parish ordination was in Cranhill. In 1993, he moved on to Larkhall, Lanarkshire. During this time, he became involved with ministry to offenders, as chaplain of Shotts prison and the Longriggend Young Offenders Institute. He moved to Kensaleyre in 2002,[3] where he remained until 2007. It was then that he transferred to St Margaret's Community Church of Dunfermline.

In May 2023, he took part in the coronation of Charles III and Camilla, presenting a Bible to the king.[4]

Political views

Greenshields has publicly attacked the deportation policies of the United Kingdom.[5] He has a keen interest in addiction issues, arguing that drug possession should be decriminalized.[6] He is an ambassador for Epilepsy Scotland, having lived with the condition himself for nearly 65 years. He is a supporter of Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), Tearfund and The Barnabas Trust. His views politically are social democratic.

Family life

Greenshields and his wife have six children, three of whom have been adopted from China. Their names are Eilidh, Siona, and Siusaidh.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Scotland, The Church of (2021-10-25). "Rev Iain Greenshields is the Moderator Designate of the General Assembly 2022-23". The Church of Scotland. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  2. ↑ Bartynek, Shirley (2021-10-31). "Lanarkshire reverend to be Moderator of the Church of Scotland". Daily Record. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  3. 1 2 3 "Ness connections of Moderator-Designate". www.stornowaygazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  4. ↑ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  5. ↑ McCurdy, Rebecca. "Rwanda deportations dishonour God, says Kirk leader Iain Greenshields". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  6. ↑ "New Church of Scotland moderator believes drug possession should be decriminalised". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
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