Alexander Macdonald Renwick (18 August 1888 – 5 February 1965) was a 20th century Scottish minister and theological author. He served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland in 1931.


Alexander Macdonald Renwick
former Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland
ChurchFree Church of Scotland
In office1931
PredecessorRobert M. Knox
SuccessorPeter Clarkson
Personal details
Born
Alexander Macdonald Renwick

(1888-08-18)18 August 1888
Died5 February 1965(1965-02-05) (aged 76)
Lochgilphead, Argyll, Scotland
DenominationPresbyterian
ParentsHalbert Renwick, Mary Macdonald

Life edit

 
The grave of Alexander MacDonald Renwick, Grange Cemetery

Renwick was born in the isolated cottage of Maol-bhuidhe, in Kintail, Ross-shire.[1] In March 1900 his wife is listed as living in Manchester and several sources indicate he was also from there (probably Chorlton-cum-Hardy).[2]

In the First World War he served in the Royal Army Chaplains Department.[3]

He was professor of theology at Edinburgh University and he was also a professor at the Free Church College on the Mound in Edinburgh.

In 1931 he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, succeeding Rev Robert M. Knox.[4]

In 1957 at the time of his wife's death they were living at 19 Roseburn Cliff in western Edinburgh.[5]

He died in Lochgilphead on 5 February 1965, aged 76[6] and is buried in the Grange Cemetery in the south of Edinburgh.[7] The grave lies against the south wall in the south-west corner of the original cemetery near the link to the west extension.

Family edit

He was married to Celia Ann Grassick (1883-1957) in Chorlton in November 1915.[8]

Renwick's stepdaughter Mairi married Allan Harman, who subsequently updated and expanded Renwick's book The Story of the Church.[9]

Publications edit

  • The Story of the Church
  • The Story of the Scottish Reformation

References edit

  1. ^ Thomson, Iain R. (2014). Isolation Shepherd (5 ed.). Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited. p. 153. ISBN 9781841586151.
  2. ^ London Gazette 20 March 1900
  3. ^ "The Discovery Service". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk.
  4. ^ Proceedings of the Free Church of Scotland 1930-1939
  5. ^ "Individual Page". Wc.rootsweb.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Alexander MacDonald Renwick 1888-1965 - Ancestry®". www.ancestry.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  7. ^ By: Southside HeritageGroup (23 October 2009). "Professor Alexander MacDonald Renwick 23 Oct 2009 14-23". Flickr. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Descendancy Page". Wc.rootsweb.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  9. ^ Harman, Allan M. (2020). "Preface". The Story of the Church: 4th edition. Inter-Varsity Press. p. 7. ISBN 9781789742077. Retrieved 13 November 2023.