Moderator Designate

Just to let you know that the news about our Moderator Designate is now public.  He Rev. John Christie and you can read all about him the Church of Scotland web site. 

Electing the Moderator Designate is a strange task.  There are 45 of us, one from each Presbytery.  Information about the nominees has been circulated, telling us all about them – their CV, their faith, their hobbies.  So we are supposed to know who were are voting about.

On the day a presentation is made by a proposer and seconder.  They have 10 minutes between them (they have to decide how to divvy up their time).  It’s weird that the committee doesn’t actually get to meet the candidates.  The theory is, I think, that it would be rather unChristian to talk about yourself; undignfied to act like a politician seeking the vote.  It means we have to rely on  descriptions from  ethusiastic admirers.

Speeches about the Candidates have a genre all of their own and follows a set pattern.  Basically, every Candidate is a lovely person.  They have been excellent parish ministers – and not just in one place, but in a diversity of places.  They are all really, really clever – but humble with it.  They can relate to all sorts of people – from the highest to the lowest in the land.  They all have a good sense of humour.

It goes without saying (but it does get said) that they are devout Christians with an exceptional piety.  They are inspiring communicators.  They ahve worked hard for the church – locally and nationally and preferrably internationally too.

Add to this mix a supportive family and some very worthwhile extra-curricula activities – charties, sports, and the like.

This year every single candidate was particularly apt for the celebrations in 2010 of the Edinburgh 1910 Conference, the 450th anniversary of the Reformation in Scotland, and Calvin’s 500th anniversary. 

It’s all done and dusted within an hour or so.  Personal comments about the candidates (eg. that they are dull preachers, or might be getting on a bit) are frowned upon. 

So why is one candidate chosen above another?  As far as John Christie is concerned I can only think it’s because he is well known from the Assembly.  He’s been the Convener of the Safeguarding Committee for the last few years, and therefore has had a fairly high profile.  He has proven himself to be a very safe pair of hands.  And more than anything else, this seems to be what the Committee is looking for.