# Russell Barr

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type             = 
| honorific-prefix = [The Very Reverend](/source/The_Very_Reverend)
| name             = Russell Barr
| honorific-suffix = 
| title            = [Moderator of the General Assembly](/source/Moderator_of_the_General_Assembly_of_the_Church_of_Scotland)
| image            = Battle of Arras 100th Anniversary (33857287095) (cropped) (cropped).jpg
| image_size       = 
| alt              = 
| caption          = Barr in 2017
| church           = [Church of Scotland](/source/Church_of_Scotland)
| elected          = <!-- or | appointed = -->
| term             = May 2016 – May 2017
| predecessor      = [Angus Morrison](/source/Angus_Morrison_(minister))
| successor        =  [Derek Browning](/source/Derek_Browning)
| other_post       = 
<!---------- Orders ---------->
| ordination       = 
| ordained_by      = 
<!---------- Personal details ---------->
| birth_name       = George Russell Barr
| birth_date       = {{Birth date and age|1953|10|15|df=y}} 
| birth_place      = <!-- City, administrative region, sovereign state (per Template:Infobox person) -->
| death_date       = <!-- {{Death date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_place      = <!-- as birth_place -->
| buried           = <!-- or | tomb = -->
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| nationality      = Scottish
| religion         = [Presbyterianism](/source/Presbyterianism)
| residence        = 
| parents          = 
| spouse           = <!-- or | partner = -->
| children         = 
| occupation       = 
| profession       = <!-- or | previous_post = -->
| education        =
| alma_mater       = 
}}
'''Russell Barr''' (born 15 October 1953) is a minister of the [Church of Scotland](/source/Church_of_Scotland), who was nominated in late 2015 to be the next [Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland](/source/Moderator_of_the_General_Assembly_of_the_Church_of_Scotland).<ref name="bbc-mod-designate" />

==Early life and education==
Barr was born on 15 October 1953 in [Kilmarnock](/source/Kilmarnock), Scotland.<ref name="Who's Who 2017">{{cite web|title=BARR, Rt Rev. Dr (George) Russell|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U286256|website=Who's Who 2017|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=26 December 2016|date=November 2016}}</ref> His parents were George, a GP, and Isobel, a theatre sister. His schooling days were spent at Kilmarnock Academy. He was active in a local Boy's Brigade company.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://d3hgrlq6yacptf.cloudfront.net/5f1afa7e2fbfe/content/pages/documents/1603912188.pdf |title=The Grapevine: Cramond Kirk Magazine |publisher=Cramond Kirk |date=October 2020 |edition=115 |pages=1–2}}</ref>

He left school with no qualifications, and a dream to become a professional golfer. He played off of scratch through his very regular playing, and he won many competitions as a teenager.

Through persuasion by his parents, he enrolled at [Langside College](/source/Langside_College) in Glasgow. Through an inspirational history teacher, Bill Hodgson, he was able to pass exams. He made the choice to go to [Edinburgh University](/source/University_of_Edinburgh), beginning in 1972.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2016-04-27 |title=George Russell Barr |url=https://www.ed.ac.uk/alumni/services/profiles/graduation/1970s/george-russell-barr |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=The University of Edinburgh |language=en}}</ref> Through the university, he studied a degree in history and philosophy, graduating in 1975, as well an honours and master's degree in theology from New College. The latter was completed in 1993.<ref name=":0" /> He won the divinity honours class prize and in 1978 was awarded the Sir Will Y Darling Memorial prize as student of the year.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=25 May 2016 |title=Rev Dr Russell Barr becomes Church of Scotland Moderator |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/rev-dr-russell-barr-becomes-church-of-scotland-moderator-619458 |access-date=10 November 2023 |website=Edinburgh News}}</ref>

He received a doctorate of ministry from [Princeton Theological Seminary](/source/Princeton_Theological_Seminary) in 2000.<ref name="cos-mod-designate" />

He once had a summer job freezing peas as Salvesen's near Granton.<ref name=":0" />

==Ordained ministry==
His probationary year was in Edgerston, near Jedburgh, in the Borders of Scotland. From there, he was called to Garthamlock and Craigend East, in the Easterhouse area of Glasgow from 1979 to 1988. He then served at Greenock St Luke's from 1988 to 1993. From 1993, he was the minister of [Cramond](/source/Cramond) Kirk in [Edinburgh](/source/Edinburgh).<ref name="cos-mod-designate" /> Russell Barr retired as minister of [Cramond Kirk](/source/Cramond_Kirk) in October 2020, leading his last acts of worship as Minister on Sunday 25 October 2020.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Barr |first=Russell |date=November 2020 |title=The Grapevine: Cramond Kirk Magazine |url=https://d3hgrlq6yacptf.cloudfront.net/5f1afa7e2fbfe/content/pages/documents/1604943216.pdf |page=3 }}</ref>

In 1999, he formed the charity, Fresh Start,<ref name="bbc-mod-designate" /><ref name="cos-mod-designate" /> which helps people who have been homeless establish themselves in their new home.<ref name="fresh-start-web" />

In 2011, he was Moderator of the Presbytery of Edinburgh.<ref name=":0" />

In October 2015 he was nominated to succeed Right Rev Dr [Angus Morrison](/source/Angus_Morrison_(minister)) as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.<ref name="cos-mod-designate" /> He took office in May 2016.<ref name="bbc-mod-designate" /> He was succeeded as Moderator by Dr [Derek Browning](/source/Derek_Browning) in May 2017.

== Personal life ==
Barr is married to Margaret, a retired secondary school biology teacher. They met while studying at Edinburgh University.<ref name=":0" /> They have one son, Robert, and a daughter, Lindsey.<ref name="cos-mod-designate" /> They have three grandchildren: Eva, Caterina and Alessandro.<ref name=":1" /> After retiring from Cramond Kirk, they now live in St Andrews.<ref name=":2" />

He enjoys playing golf for fun.<ref name=":1" />

==See also ==
* [List of moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland](/source/List_of_moderators_of_the_General_Assembly_of_the_Church_of_Scotland)

== References ==
{{reflist |30em
 | refs =

<ref name="fresh-start-web">{{cite web
 | url = https://www.freshstartweb.org.uk/about
 | title = About us
 | website = Fresh Start website
 | accessdate = 6 January 2016
}}</ref>

<ref name="cos-mod-designate">{{cite web
 | url = http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news_and_events/news/recent/Cramond_minister_is_Moderator_Designate
 | title = Cramond minister is Moderator Designate
 | website = [Church of Scotland](/source/Church_of_Scotland) website
 | date = 29 October 2015
 | accessdate = 6 January 2016
}}</ref>

<ref name="bbc-mod-designate">{{cite web
 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-34659744
 | title = Homelessness charity founder Russell Barr to be moderator
 | date = 29 October 2015
 | website = BBC News
 | accessdate = 6 January 2016
}}</ref>

}} <!-- end of refs -->

== External links ==
* [https://www.freshstartweb.org.uk/ Fresh Start]

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel}}
{{succession box
| before = [Angus Morrison](/source/Angus_Morrison_(minister))
| title = [Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland](/source/List_of_Moderators_of_the_General_Assembly_of_the_Church_of_Scotland)
| years = 2016-2017
| after = [Derek Browning](/source/Derek_Browning)
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barr, Russell}}
Category:1953 births
Category:Living people
Category:20th-century ministers of the Church of Scotland
Category:20th-century Scottish Presbyterian ministers
Category:Princeton Theological Seminary alumni
Category:Clergy from Edinburgh
Category:Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Category:21st-century ministers of the Church of Scotland
Category:21st-century Scottish Presbyterian ministers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Russell Barr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Barr) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Barr?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.