Edinburgh Theological Seminary and the Free Church of Scotland are profoundly saddened by news of the death of Professor Donald Macleod. He passed away on Sunday 21st May at his home in Morningside, Edinburgh. He was 82.
A Thanksgiving Service will take place at St Columba’s Free Church on the Royal Mile, in Edinburgh, on Friday 26th May at 3pm.
If you would like to watch the livestream of the service, go to: Thanksgiving Service: Professor Donald Macleod (15:00, 26th May 2023) – YouTube
Donald Macleod was born in Ness, Isle of Lewis in 1940. After graduating from the University of Glasgow and the Free Church College he was ordained and inducted to the congregation of Kilmallie Free Church in 1964 at the age of 24. Six years later he became the minister of the then Partick Highland (now Dowanvale) congregation in Glasgow. By that time, his extraordinary academic gifts had become well established so, not surprisingly, in May 1978, he was appointed to the Chair of Systematic Theology at the Free Church College, Edinburgh. He became Principal in 1999.
For the next thirty years an entire generation of Free Church ministers would receive their education in Systematic Theology from Professor Macleod. Moreover, a steady stream of publications spanning over forty years would secure Donald’s international reputation as a writer and eminent theologian.
Rev Iver Martin, Principal of Edinburgh Theological Seminary and current Free Church Moderator today paid tribute to Professor Macleod, “Our denomination and indeed the church at large is today mourning the loss of Donald Macleod. His immense influence as well as his contribution to the theological education of a whole generation of pastors is incalculable.”
We extend our sincere and prayerful sympathies to Mary, his widow and their three sons: John, Murdo and Angus.
A full tribute will appear in a future edition of The Record.
