| Activity | EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Lesslie Newbigin was educated at Leighton Park School, Queen's College, Cambridge University, where he read geography and economics, and Westminster College, Cambridge.
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
Newbigin was Intercollegiate Secretary of the Student Christian Movement, Glasgow, 1931-1933, prior to his ordination by the Presbytery of Edinburgh and appointment to the Madras Mission of the Church of Scotland in 1936. He served as missionary in Chingleput and Kancheepuram, 1936-1946, and having played an important role in the formation of the Church of South India in 1947, he was immediately appointed Church of South India Bishop in Madura and Ramnad. He was Chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Main Theme for the Second Assembly, the World Council of Churches, 1954, Vice-Chairman, Commission on Faith and Order, 1956, Chairman, International Missionary Council, 1958. In 1959 he resigned from the see of Madura, and became General Secretary of the International Missionary Council, and then Associate General Secretary of the World Council of Churches from 1961-1965. He was then appointed Bishop of Madras, Church of South India, 1965-1974. he returned to England, and from 1974-1979 was Lecturer in Theology, at Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham. In 1978 he was appointed Moderator, General Assembly of the United Reform Church, 1978. From 1980-1988 he was minister at Winson Green United Reformed Church. He had been awarded Hon DDs from institutions including Chicago Theological Seminary, 1954, St Andrews University, 1958, Hull, 1975, and Newcastle, 1981. |