David Syme Russell (theologian)
Encyclopedia
Rev Dr David Syme Russell CBE
(1916–2010) was a distinguished theologian and author, former Principal of Rawdon College, Leeds, and General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain
.
school, Russell then entered Trinity College, Glasgow
, subsequently continuing his studies at the University of Oxford
.
Russell’s first charge was as pastor at the Castlegate church, Berwick, and between 1945 and 1951 he was minister in Acton, London
, where in his final year there he conducted the funeral of the Foreign Secretary
, Ernest Bevin
, preaching to a congregation including the cabinet
of the Attlee
government.
Becoming active in the European Baptist Federation
and the Human Rights Programme of the Conference of European Churches
, Russell was to advocate human rights in meetings with communist authorities and managed to secure funding for a translation into Russian of William Barclay's
New Testament commentaries. He traveled widely in eastern Europe and Africa.
Russell was appointed General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain
in 1967, a position he was to hold ‘till his retirement in 1982. Among other appointments, he also served as Moderator of the Free Church Federal Council (1973-74) and as its president (1983-84).
In 1967 Russell was awarded the degree of Doctor of Letters
from the University of Glasgow
and in 1982 was invested Commander of the Order of the British Empire
.
David Russell married Marion Campbell in 1943, the couple having a son and daughter. Retiring in 1982 he moved to Bristol
where he died, aged 93, on 8 November 2010.
Among his published works:
Between the Testaments (1960)
The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic: 200 BC – AD 100 (1964)
Jews from Alexander to Herod (1975)
Daniel (with John C. L. Gibson, 1981)
The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: Patriarchs and Prophets in Early Judaisim (1987)
Daniel: An Active Volcano: Reflections on the Book of Daniel (1987)
Divine Disclosure: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic (1992)
Prophecy and the Apocalyptic Dream: Protest and Promise (1994)
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
(1916–2010) was a distinguished theologian and author, former Principal of Rawdon College, Leeds, and General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain
Baptist Union of Great Britain
The Baptist Union of Great Britain, despite its name, is the association of Baptist churches in England and Wales. -History:...
.
Early life and career
David Syme Russell was born in Glasgow on 21 November 1916. A pupil of the famous Hamilton AcademyHamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
school, Russell then entered Trinity College, Glasgow
Trinity College, Glasgow
Trinity College, Glasgow, Scotland, is the Church of Scotland's College at the University of Glasgow. It provides special supervision of candidates for the ministry through a Principal and a College Council...
, subsequently continuing his studies at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Russell’s first charge was as pastor at the Castlegate church, Berwick, and between 1945 and 1951 he was minister in Acton, London
Acton, London
Acton is a district of west London, England, located in the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross.At the time of the 2001 census, Acton, comprising the wards of East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton and Southfield, had a population of 53,689 people...
, where in his final year there he conducted the funeral of the Foreign Secretary
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
, Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin was a British trade union leader and Labour politician. He served as general secretary of the powerful Transport and General Workers' Union from 1922 to 1945, as Minister of Labour in the war-time coalition government, and as Foreign Secretary in the post-war Labour Government.-Early...
, preaching to a congregation including the cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
of the Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
government.
Later career
In 1953, Russell was appointed Principal, Rawdon College, the Baptist college at Leeds, England, and was much involved in the merging of Rawdon College with the Northern College, Manchester, in 1964, the merged colleges becoming the Northern Baptist College of which he was Joint Principal.Becoming active in the European Baptist Federation
European Baptist Federation
The European Baptist Federation is a federation of 51 Baptist associations and is one of six regional fellowships in the Baptist World Alliance. The EBF was founded in Ruschlikon, Switzerland, in 1949. It lays a great deal of emphasis on human rights, religious liberty and aid programs. The...
and the Human Rights Programme of the Conference of European Churches
Conference of European Churches
The Conference of European Churches was founded in 1959 to promote reconciliation, dialogue and friendship between the churches of Europe at a time of growing Cold War political tensions and divisions. It is an ecumenical fellowship of Christian churches in Europe; its membership consists of most...
, Russell was to advocate human rights in meetings with communist authorities and managed to secure funding for a translation into Russian of William Barclay's
William Barclay (theologian)
William Barclay was an author, radio and television presenter, Church of Scotland minister, and Professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism at the University of Glasgow.-Life:...
New Testament commentaries. He traveled widely in eastern Europe and Africa.
Russell was appointed General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain
Baptist Union of Great Britain
The Baptist Union of Great Britain, despite its name, is the association of Baptist churches in England and Wales. -History:...
in 1967, a position he was to hold ‘till his retirement in 1982. Among other appointments, he also served as Moderator of the Free Church Federal Council (1973-74) and as its president (1983-84).
In 1967 Russell was awarded the degree of Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
from the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and in 1982 was invested Commander of the Order of the British Empire
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
.
David Russell married Marion Campbell in 1943, the couple having a son and daughter. Retiring in 1982 he moved to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
where he died, aged 93, on 8 November 2010.
Published works
Russell was the author of numerous works, writing six of his fourteen published books during his retirement. He also made significant contributions to the Encyclopaedia Britannica.Among his published works:
Between the Testaments (1960)
The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic: 200 BC – AD 100 (1964)
Jews from Alexander to Herod (1975)
Daniel (with John C. L. Gibson, 1981)
The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: Patriarchs and Prophets in Early Judaisim (1987)
Daniel: An Active Volcano: Reflections on the Book of Daniel (1987)
Divine Disclosure: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic (1992)
Prophecy and the Apocalyptic Dream: Protest and Promise (1994)