Stafford Carson

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Stafford Carson
Born (1951-05-29) 29 May 1951 (age 74)
Church Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Academic work
Institutions Union Theological College

John Stafford Carson (born 29 May 1951) is a former Principal and Professor of Ministry at Union Theological College, Belfast, and a former moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He took office as moderator on 1 June 2009 in succession to Dr Donald Patton. [1] As moderator, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by the Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland. [2]

In June 2013, he was appointed executive principal of Union Theological College but retired in December 2020. [3]

As well as working in theological education in his home land of Northern Ireland he worked as the Vice-President and Academic Dean of Westminster Theological Seminary 200–2005 and returned there to work as Senior Director of Global Ministries in 2022. [4] [5]

He was the public face of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland as the church responded to the 2008 collapse of the Presbyterian Mutual Society and heavily involved in discussions with the government about how to respond to the crisis and develop a rescue package for savers. [6] [7] [8] [9]

In 2018 the Presbyterian Church in Ireland affirmed that the sacraments cannot be administered to people who cannot make a credible profession of faith, including people in same-sex relationships. This provoked controversy in the media. As Convener of the Doctrine Committee which brought the report on the matter to the General Assembly of the church, he featured prominently in media coverage of the decision [10] [11] and was highlighted as an influential figure in changing attitudes in the Church by public figures such as Naomi Long, at the time a member of the Presbyterian church and leader of the Alliance Party. [12]

References

  1. "New church moderator is announced". BBC News. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. "Very Rev Dr Stafford Carson". Union Theological College, Belfast. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  3. McCreary, Alf (1 February 2020). "In conversation with the Very Reverend Dr Stafford Carson: 'My father lived a Christian life and died as the result of an accident at home six weeks after he retired. I asked the question, why Lord?'". The Belfast Telegraph. No. Saturday 1 February 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  4. "Stafford Carson". Westminster Theological Seminary. Archived from the original on 15 June 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  5. McCreary, Alf (9 June 2011). "PMS deal 'as good as it gets' for waiting savers". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  6. "Welcome for Presbyterian Mutual Society rescue package". BBC News. BBC. 8 April 2011. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  7. "First payments to PMS savers due within month". Church News Ireland. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  8. "Church to discuss investors help". The Irish Independent. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  9. "Same-sex couples welcome in Presbyterian Church '" but cannot be full members". The Newsletter. 9 June 2018. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  10. Bain, Mark (13 June 2018). "Same-sex policy won't be changed, insists former Presbyterian moderator". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  11. Walker, Stephen (15 June 2018). "Naomi Long: Presbyterian Church causing 'great concern'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2025.


Presbyterian Church titles
Preceded by Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
2009
Succeeded by