James Hutchison Cockburn
Encyclopedia
James Hutchison Cockburn (29 October 1882–20 June 1973) was a Scottish scholar and Church of Scotland
clergyman.
Born in Paisley
on 29 October 1882, he was the son of a schoolmaster
. After receiving his school education in Paisley, he studied at the University of Glasgow
, graduating in Arts
and Divinity
.
In 1908 he was ordained in Mearns
parish; in 1914 he was translated to Battlefield
parish, Glasgow
. He married Amy Macloy, daughter of another minister, in 1912, who would in time bear him a son and daughter. During World War I
he was a British army chaplain, serving in France, Egypt
and East Africa
.
After the war, he returned to Scotland, where on 8 May 1918, he became minister at Dunblane Cathedral
. In the following years he served as the Convener of the Business Committee of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
, and was Convener of the Committees on Church and Nation and Inter-Church Relations, and was Clerk to the Committee from 1927 until 1929, promoting union between the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church.
During World War II
, Cockburn served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
(1941–1942), as well as briefly being Vice-Chairman of the British Council of Churches.
In 1944, he became a Chaplain to King George VI
, and retained such a position after the accession of his daughter Elizabeth II
in 1952. When he died in 1973, he was Senior Extra-Chaplain to the Queen.
Cockburn departed Dunblane in 1945 for Geneva
, taking the position of Director of the Department of Reconstruction and Inter-Church Aid of the World Council of Churches
. From 1952 until 1954 he was a member of the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs.
at St Mary's College, St Andrews
. He was the William Belden Noble Lecturer at Harvard University
in 1942, and served as Warrack Lecturer on Preaching in Edinburgh, 1944-1945. In 1951 he was Otts Lecturer at Davidson College
, North Carolina
.
In 1930, he was one of the founders of the Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral, whose journal he edited between 1930 and 1965. He created a museum
for the church in the Dean's House, and used his connections to acquire material to fill it. Cockburn contributed many articles for this journal. Cockburn also published several books on religious history:
By his death on 20 June 1973, Cockburn had received Honorary Doctorates from the University of Glasgow, University of Prague
, Yale University
, Occidental College
, Los Angeles, and Wooster College, Ohio
.
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
clergyman.
Church career
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
on 29 October 1882, he was the son of a schoolmaster
Schoolmaster
A schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
. After receiving his school education in Paisley, he studied at 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...
, graduating in Arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
and Divinity
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
.
In 1908 he was ordained in Mearns
Newton Mearns
Newton Mearns is a suburban town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland. It lies southwest of Glasgow City Centre on the main road to Ayrshire, above sea level. It has a population of approximately 22,637.The town is part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
parish; in 1914 he was translated to Battlefield
Battlefield, Glasgow
Battlefield is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde. The area takes its name from the Battle of Langside of 1568 in which Mary, Queen of Scots' army was defeated by James VI...
parish, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. He married Amy Macloy, daughter of another minister, in 1912, who would in time bear him a son and daughter. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he was a British army chaplain, serving in France, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
.
After the war, he returned to Scotland, where on 8 May 1918, he became minister at Dunblane Cathedral
Dunblane Cathedral
Dunblane Cathedral is the larger of the two Church of Scotland parish churches serving Dunblane, near the city of Stirling, in central Scotland.-History:...
. In the following years he served as the Convener of the Business Committee of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
, and was Convener of the Committees on Church and Nation and Inter-Church Relations, and was Clerk to the Committee from 1927 until 1929, promoting union between the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Cockburn served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Moderator of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland is a Minister, Elder or Deacon of the Church of Scotland chosen to "moderate" the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every May....
(1941–1942), as well as briefly being Vice-Chairman of the British Council of Churches.
In 1944, he became a Chaplain to King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, and retained such a position after the accession of his daughter Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 1952. When he died in 1973, he was Senior Extra-Chaplain to the Queen.
Cockburn departed Dunblane in 1945 for Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, taking the position of Director of the Department of Reconstruction and Inter-Church Aid of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
. From 1952 until 1954 he was a member of the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs.
Academic life
From 1931 until 1934 Cockburn was a Lecturer on Pastoral TheologyPastoral theology
Pastoral theology is the branch of practical theology concerned with the application of the study of religion in the context of regular church ministry. This approach to theology seeks to give practical expression to theology...
at St Mary's College, St Andrews
St Mary's College, St Andrews
St Mary's College of the University of St Andrews, in Fife, Scotland - in full, the New College of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - was founded in 1538 by Archbishop James Beaton, uncle of Cardinal David Beaton on the site of the pedagogy or St Johns College .St Mary's College was...
. He was the William Belden Noble Lecturer at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1942, and served as Warrack Lecturer on Preaching in Edinburgh, 1944-1945. In 1951 he was Otts Lecturer at Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
In 1930, he was one of the founders of the Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral, whose journal he edited between 1930 and 1965. He created a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
for the church in the Dean's House, and used his connections to acquire material to fill it. Cockburn contributed many articles for this journal. Cockburn also published several books on religious history:
By his death on 20 June 1973, Cockburn had received Honorary Doctorates from the University of Glasgow, University of Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
, Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Occidental College
Occidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
, Los Angeles, and Wooster College, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.