Iain Greenshields | |
|---|---|
| Moderator of the General Assembly | |
_(cropped).jpg) Greenshields in 2022 | |
| Church | Church of Scotland |
| In office | May 2022 to May 2023 |
| Predecessor | Jim Wallace |
| Successor | Sally Foster-Fulton |
| Other posts | Minister of St Margaret's Community Church, Dunfermline |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1984 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 1954 (age 71) |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
Iain MacLeod Greenshields is aChurch of Scotlandminister, who served asModerator of the General Assembly from 2022 to 2023.[1] He undertook key roles as Moderator for thefuneral of Elizabeth II and theCoronation of Charles III. He was ordained in 1984,[2] and was latterly (until 2025) the minister of St Margaret's Community Church inDunfermline, Fife where he had been a minister for 16 years. His wife Linda is a teacher ofreligious, moral and philosophical studies atLevenmouth Academy,Buckhaven.She has taught for 42 years.
The son of aGlasgow police officer, Greenshields grew up inGlasgow and studiedtheology at theUniversity of Glasgow.[3] His first parish ordination was inCranhill. In 1993, he moved on toLarkhall, Lanarkshire. During this time, he became involved with ministry to offenders, as chaplain ofShotts prison and the Longriggend Young Offenders Institute. He moved toKensaleyre in 2002,[3] where he remained until 2007. It was then that he transferred to St Margaret's Community Church ofDunfermline. He retired from this role in 2025.[4]
In May 2023, he took part in thecoronation of Charles III and Camilla, presenting a Bible to the King.[5]
Greenshields has publicly attacked the deportation policies of the United Kingdom.[6] He has a keen interest in addiction issues, arguing that drug possession should be decriminalized.[7] He is an ambassador for Epilepsy Scotland, having lived with the condition himself for nearly 65 years. He is a supporter ofSociety for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC),Tearfund and The Barnabas Trust. His views politically are social democratic.
Greenshields and his wife have six children, three of whom have been adopted fromChina. Their names are Eilidh, Siona, and Siusaidh.[3]
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2022-2023 | Succeeded by |