The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Presbyterian Church in Ireland

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland , is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Ireland, and the largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland...

is the most senior office-bearer within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, which is Northern Ireland's largest Protestant denomination.

The Moderator is elected by the General Assembly and serves for one year as the public representative of the denomination. In theory, the moderator may be a minister or an elder from among the laity; but as yet, no lay elder has ever been appointed moderator. The appointee's formal role involves acting as the Moderator of the General Assembly

Moderator of the General Assembly

The Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....

. During the rest of the year, the moderator acts as an ambassador for the General Assembly and for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland as a whole.

The government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has a form known as Presbyterian polity

Presbyterian polity

Presbyterian polity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply...

, and is much like that of other Presbyterian churches around the world. Individual churches are represented at both the Presbytery (local) level and General Assembly (All Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

) level.

The serving moderator is given the honorific style

Style (manner of address)

A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...

, Right Reverend

Right Reverend

The Right Reverend is a style applied to certain religious figures.*In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church in Great Britain it applies to bishops except that The Most Reverend is used for archbishops .*In some churches with a...

(Rt. Rev.)

Former moderators are known as Very Reverend

Very Reverend

The Very Reverend is a style given to certain religious figures.*In the Roman Catholic Church, by custom, priests who hold positions of particular note: e.g...

(Very Rev.). The moderator is eleventh in the order of precedence in Northern Ireland

Order of precedence in Northern Ireland

The order of precedence in Northern Ireland:-Gentlemen:#The Sovereign #The Duke of Edinburgh#Sons of the Sovereign##The Prince of Wales##The Duke of York##The Earl of Wessex#Grandsons of the Sovereign##The Duke of Cambridge...

 along with the two Church of Ireland

Church of Ireland

The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...

 and two Roman Catholic archbishops. The moderator is normally an ordained minister. The current moderator is the Reverend Ivan.J.Patterson.

Past Moderators

• 2010 Rev. Dr. Norman Hamilton
  Norman Hamilton
  Norman Hamilton, OBE is the current Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He has also been minister of the Ballysillan Presbyterian Church in Belfast for twenty-two years....
  
   OBE BA, BD. (Ballysillan)
• 2009 Rev. John Stafford Carson
  Stafford Carson
  John Stafford Carson is a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland from 2009 to 2010, when he was replaced by his successor Dr. Norman Hamilton. He is also minister at the First Presbyterian Church, in Portadown, Northern Ireland...
  
   BSc, MA, MAR, MTh, DD (First Portadown)
• 2008 Rev. Dr. William Donald Patton BSSc, BD, PhD, DD (Old Congregation, Randalstown)
• 2007 Rev. John Mateer Finlay BA, BD, DD (Harryville, Ballymena)
• 2006 Rev. David Clarke
  David Clarke (minister)
  The Very Reverend Dr David Clarke was Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland from 2006-2007. He was elected at the General Assembly on 7 June 2006. During his year in office his theme was "Serving Christ, serving others". Dr Clarke remains minister at Terrace Row Presbyterian Church in...
  
   LLB, BD, DD (Terrace Row, Coleraine)
• 2005 Rev. Dr. Robert Ernest Henry Uprichard BA, BD, MTh, PhD, DD (Trinity, Ahoghill)
• 2004 Rev. Kenneth Norman Ernest Newell BA, BD, MTh, DD (Fitzroy, Belfast)
• 2003 Rev. Ivan Alexander McKay BA, BD, DD (Dundonald)
• 2002 Rev. Russell Ivan Birney BA, BD, DD (High Kirk, Ballymena)
• 2001 Rev. Hugh Alastair Dunlop BA, BD, DD (Knock, Belfast)
• 2000 Rev. Dr. Trevor William John Morrow MA, BD, MTh, PhD, DD (Lucan, Dublin)

• 1999 Rev. Dr. John William Lockington BA, BD, MTh, PhD, DD (Gardenmore, Larne)
• 1998 Rev. Samuel John Dixon BA, DD (First Antrim)
• 1997 Rev. Samuel Hutchinson BA, BD, MTh, DD (Clerk of the General Assembly)
• 1996 Rev. David Henry Allen MA, BD, DD (New Row, Coleraine)
• 1995 Rev. John Ross BA, DD (High Street, Holywood)
• 1994 Rev. David Joseph McGaughey BA, DD (Mourne, Kilkeel)
• 1993 Rev. Andrew Rutherford Rodgers MA, DD (Dungannon)
• 1992 Rev. Dr. John Dunlop BA, BD, DD, LLD (Rosemary, Belfast)
• 1991 Rev. Rodney Sterritt BA, DD (Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
• 1990 Rev. Prof. Robert Finlay Gregg Holmes MA, MLitt, DD (Union Theological College, Belfast)

• 1989 Rev. James Matthews BA, BD, DD (First Lurgan)
• 1988 Rev. Dr. Andrew William Godfrey Brown BA, BD, PhD, DD, DLitt (Ballycastle)
• 1987 Rev. William Fleming BA, DD (Abbot's Cross, Belfast)
• 1986 Rev. Prof. John Thompson BA, BD, PhD, DD (Union Theological College, Belfast)
• 1985 Rev. Robert Dickinson MA, BD, DD (Tobermore and Draperstown)
• 1984 Rev. Howard Cromie MA, BD, DD (Railway Street, Lisburn)
• 1983 Rev. Dr. Thomas John Simpson MA, LLB, DD, DLitt (Clerk of General Assembly)
• 1982 Rev. Eric Paul Gardiner BA, DD (First Ballymena)
• 1981 Rev. John Girvan BA, DD (Hill Street, Lurgan)
• 1980 Rev. Ronald Gavin Craig BA, DD (First Carrickfergus)

• 1979 Rev. William Magee Craig MA, BD, DD (First Portadown)
• 1978 Rev. David Burke BA, DD (Hamilton Road, Bangor)
• 1977 Rev. Thomas Algeo Patterson BA, DD (Portaferry)
• 1976 Rev. Andrew John Weir MSc, DD (Clerk of the General Assembly)
• 1975 Rev. George Frederick Hampton Wynne BA, DD (Great James Street, Londonderry)
• 1974 Rev. George Temple Lundie MA, LLB, DD (First Armagh)
• 1973 Rev. John Whiteford Orr BA, DD (Bloomfield, Belfast)
• 1972 Rev. Robert Victor Alexander Lynas BA, BD, DD (Gardenmore, Larne)
• 1971 Rev. Frederick Rupert Gibson BA, DD (Superintendent of The Irish Mission)
• 1970 Rev. Principal James L. M. Haire MA, MTh, DD (Assembly's College, Belfast)

• 1969 Rev. John Talbot Carson BA, DD (Trinity, Bangor)
• 1968 Rev. John Herbert Withers BA, BD, DD (Fisherwick, Belfast)
• 1967 Rev. William Boyd MA, DD (First Lisburn)
• 1966 Rev. Alfred Martin BA, DD (Lowe Memorial, Finaghy)
• 1965 Rev. Samuel James Park MA, DD (Dun Laoghaire)
• 1964 Rev. James Dunlop MA, DD (Oldpark, Belfast)
• 1963 Rev. William Alexander Montgomery MA, DD (Strand, Londonderry)
• 1962 Rev. John Higginson Davey BA, DD (Missionary to India)
• 1961 Rev. William Alexander Albert Park MA, DD (Ballygilbert, Bangor)
• 1960 Rev. Dr. Austin Alfred Fulton MA, BD, PhD, DD (Assembly's Foreign Mission Convenor)

• 1959 Rev. Thomas Alexander Byers Smyth BA, DD (Rathgar, Dublin)
• 1958 Rev. William McAdam MA, DD (First Newry)
• 1957 Rev. Principal Robert John Wilson MA, DD (Assembly's College, Belfast)
• 1956 Rev. Thomas McCurdy Barker MA, DD (Donegal)
• 1955 Rev. James Carlile Breakey BA, DD (Fortwilliam Park, Belfast)
• 1954 Rev. John Knowles BA, DD (Tullylish)
• 1953 Rev. Principal James Ernest Davey
  James E. Davey
  The Reverend James Ernest Davey was an Irish Presbyterian minister, historian and theologian who was acquitted on charges of heresy in 1927 and elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in 1951.- Education :...
  
   MA, DD (Assembly's College, Belfast)
• 1952 Rev. John Knox Leslie McKean MA, DD (First Comber)
• 1951 Rev. Hugh McIlroy BA, DD (Ryans)
• 1950 Rev. Joseph H. R. Gibson MA, DD (Clerk of the General Assembly)

• 1949 Rev. Gordon Douglas Erskine BA, DD (Rosemary, Belfast)
• 1948 Rev. Alfred William Neill MA, DD (First Armagh)
• 1947 Rev. Robert Boyd BA, DD (Belfast)
• 1946 Rev. Thomas Byers MA, DD (Ormond Quay & Scots, Dublin)
• 1945 Rev. Prof. Robert Corkey PC, MA, PhD, DD (Assembly's College, Belfast)
• 1944 Rev. Andrew Gibson MC, BA, DD (Trinity, Cork)
• 1943 Rev. Phineas McKee BA, DD (Downshire Road, Newry)
• 1942 Rev. Wilson Moreland Kennedy BA, DD (First Derry)
• 1941 Rev. W. A. Watson MA, DD (Belfast)
• 1940 Rev. James Barkley Woodburn MA, DD (Fitzroy)

• 1939 Rev. Prof. James Haire MA, DD (Assembly's College, Belfast)
• 1938 Rev. William John Currie BA, DD (First Bangor)
• 1937 Rev. John Waddell MA, DD (Fisherwick, Belfast)
• 1935 Rev. Andrew Frederick Moody MA, DD (Cliftonville, Belfast)
• 1936 Rev. F. W. S. O'Neill MA, DD (Belfast)
• 1934 Rev. Thomas McGimpsey Johnston BA, DD (Newington, Belfast)
• 1933 Rev. William Corkey MA, DD (Windsor, Belfast)
• 1932 Rev. James Jordan Macaulay BA, DD (Rathgar, Dublin)
• 1931 Rev. James Gilbert Paton MC, MA, DD (Malone, Belfast)
• 1930 Rev. Edward Clarke MA, DD (Strabane)

• 1929 Rev. John Love Morrow MA, DD (Clontarf, Dublin)
• 1928 Rev. Thomas Alexander Smyth MA, LLB, DD (Great Victoria Street, Belfast)
• 1927 Rev. James Thompson BA, DD (Great James Street, Londonderry)
• 1926 Rev. Robert Kennedy Hanna MA, DD (Adelaide Road, Dublin)
• 1925 Rev. Thomas Haslett MA, DD (First Ballymena)
• 1924 Rev. Robert Wilson Hamilton MA, DD (Railway Street, Lisburn)
• 1923 Rev. George Thompson DD (Cliftonville, Belfast)
• 1922 Rev. William Gordon Strahan DD (First Newry)
• 1921 Rev. William James Lowe MA, DD, LLD (Clerk of the General Assembly)
• 1920 Rev. Hugh Patterson Glenn BA, DD (Bray)

• 1919 Rev. Dr. J. M. Simms CB, CMG, DD, LLD, KHC (Newtownards)
• 1918 Rev. James McGranahan BA, DD (First Derry)
• 1917 Rev. John Irwin MA, DD (Belfast)
• 1916 Rev. Thomas West BA, DD (First Antrim)
• 1915 Rev. Thomas Hamill MA, DD (Belfast)
• 1914 Rev. James Bingham MA, DD (Dundonald)
• 1913 Rev. William John Macauley BA, DD (First Portadown)
• 1912 Rev. Henry Montgomery MA, DD (Shankill Road Mission, Belfast)
• 1911 Rev. John Macmillan BA, DD (Cooke Centenary, Belfast)
• 1910 Rev. John Howard Murphy MA, DD (Trinity, Cork)

• 1909 Rev. John Courtenay Clarke BA, DD (Galway)
• 1908 Rev. John McIlveen BA, DD (Crescent, Belfast)
• 1907 Rev. John Davidson MA, DD (Glennan)
• 1906 Rev. William McKean DD (First Ballymacarrett, Belfast)
• 1905 Rev. William McMordie MA, DD (Mourne, Kilkeel)
• 1904 Rev. Samuel Prenter MA, DD, LLD (Ormond Quay, Dublin)
• 1903 Rev. John MacDermott MA, DD (Belmont, Belfast)
• 1902 Rev. John Edgar Henry MA, DD (Strand, Londerderry)
• 1901 Rev. James Heron BA, DD (Belfast)
• 1900 Rev. John McC. Hamilton MA, DD (Donore, Dublin)

• 1899 Rev. David Alexander Taylor MA, DD (Second Comber)
• 1898 Rev. William Beatty MA, DD (Knock, Belfast)
• 1897 Rev. Matthew Leitch MA, DD, LLD (Assembly's College, Belfast)
• 1896 Rev. Henry McIlree Williamson DD (Fisherwick, Belfast)
• 1895 Rev. George Raphael Buick MA, LLD (Cuningham Memorial, Cullybackey)
• 1894 Rev. W. Todd Martin MA, DD, DLitt (Belfast)
• 1893 Rev. W. Todd Martin MA, DD, DLitt (Belfast)
• 1892 Rev. R. McCheyne Edgar MA, DD (Adelaide Road, Dublin)
• 1891 Rev. Nathaniel McAuley Brown DD, LLD (Drumachose, Limavady)
• 1890 Rev. William Park MA, DD, LLD (Rosemary Street, Belfast)

• 1889 Rev. William Clarke BA (Trinity, Bangor)
• 1888 Rev. Robert John Lynd BA, DD (May Street, Belfast)
• 1887 Rev. John Henry Orr DD (High Street, Antrim)
• 1886 Rev. Robert Ross DD (Carlisle Road, Londonderry)
• 1885 Rev. James Weir Whigham DD (Ballinasloe)
• 1884 Rev. James Maxwell Rogers MA, DD (Great James Street, Londonderry)
• 1883 Rev. Hamilton Brown Wilson DD (First Cookstown)
• 1882 Rev. Thomas Young Killen DD (Duncairn, Belfast)
• 1881 Rev. William Fleming Stevenson DD (Rathgar, Dublin)
• 1880 Rev. Jackson Smyth DD (First Armagh)

• 1879 Rev. Robert Watts DD, LLD (Belfast)
• 1878 Rev. Prof. Thomas Witherow DD (Magee College, Londonderry)
• 1877 Rev. George Bellis DD (Belfast)
• 1876 Rev. John Meneely DD (First Ballymacarrett, Belfast)
• 1875 Rev. Josias Leslie Porter DD, LLD (Belfast)
• 1874 Rev. William Magill DD (Cork)
• 1873 Rev. William Johnston DD (Townsend Street, Belfast)
• 1872 Rev. William Johnston DD (Townsend Street, Belfast)
• 1871 Rev. Lowry Edmonds Berkley (First Lurgan)
• 1870 Rev. Richard Smyth DD (First Derry)

• 1869 Rev. Richard Smyth DD (First Derry)
• 1868 Rev. Charles Lucas Morell DD (Dungannon)
• 1867 Rev. Robert Montgomery (India)
• 1866 Rev. David Wilson DD (Limerick)
• 1865 Rev. David Wilson DD (Limerick)
• 1864 Rev. John Rogers DD (Second Comber)
• 1863 Rev. John Rogers DD (Second Comber)
• 1862 Rev. Henry Cooke DD, LLD (May Street, Belfast)
• 1861 Rev. John Macnaughton MA (Rosemary Street, Belfast)
• 1860 Rev. Samuel Marcus Dill DD (First Ballymena)

• 1859 Rev. Prof. William Gibson DD (Assembly's College, Belfast)
• 1858 Rev. John Johnston MA, DD (Tullylish)
• 1857 Rev. Alexander Porter Gowdy DD (Strabane)
• 1856 Rev. Prof. Robert Wilson DD (Assembly's College, Belfast)
• 1855 Rev. Robert Allen MA (Ballina)
• 1854 Rev. David Hamilton (Belfast)
• 1853 Rev. Henry William Molyneaux DD (First Larne)
• 1852 Rev. John Bleckley MA (First Monaghan)
• 1851 Rev. John Coulter DD (Gilnahirk)
• 1850 Rev. William Bailey Kirkpatrick DD (Abbey, Dublin)

• 1849 Rev. John Barnett DD (Moneymore)
• 1848 Rev. Henry Jackson Dobbin DD (First Ballymena)
• 1847 Rev. William McClure (Londonderry)
• 1846 Rev. James Morgan (Fisherwick, Belfast)
• 1845 Rev. James Carlile DD (Dublin)
• 1844 Rev. John Brown DD (Aghadowey)
• 1843 Rev. Robert Stewart DD (First Broughshane)
• 1842 Rev. John Edgar
  John Edgar(Rev.)
  Rev John Edgar D.D, LL.D was a presbyterian minister, Professor of Theology, and moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland in 1842. He was Honorary Secretary to the presbyterian Home Mission during the Famine in 1847....
  
  DD, LLD (Fitzroy, Belfast)
• 1841 Rev. Henry Cooke DD, LLD (May Street, Belfast)
• 1840 Rev. Samuel Hanna DD (Rosemary Street, Belfast)

External links

• Presbyterian Church in Ireland website