James Pitt-Watson (9 November 1893 – 25 December 1962) was a Scottish minister and academic. He was Professor of

Practical Theology Practical theology is an academic discipline that examines and reflects on religious practices in order to understand the theology enacted in those practices and in order to consider how theological theory and theological practices can be more full ...

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

and served as

Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland, minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week i ...

in 1953. He has been described as an "ecclesiastical politician".

Life

James Pitt-Watson was born on 9 November 1893. He was educated at

George Heriot's School George Heriot's School is a Scottish independent primary and secondary day school on Lauriston Place in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. In the early 21st century, it has more than 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff, and 80 non-teaching staff ...

, an

independent school An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British Eng ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, Scotland. He studied and trained for ministry at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. Pitt-Watson was ordained for the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...

in 1920. He was minister of St. Mungo's Parish Church in

Alloa Alloa (Received Pronunciation ; educated Scottish pronunciation /ˈaloʊa/; gd, Alamhagh, possibly meaning "rock plain") is a town in Clackmannanshire in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is on the north bank of the Forth at the spot where ...

church in central Scotland from 1929 to 1946. During his time as Moderator he presented a Bible to Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

at her coronation, saying, "Here is wisdom, this is the royal law, these are the lively Oracles of God." Other duties as Moderator included opening the new church at Colinton Mains in south-west Edinburgh He died on Christmas Day, 25 December 1962. His obituary was written by the Very Rev A C Craig.

Family

He was father to Rev Prof Ian Pitt-Watson (1923-1995). Through his son Ian, he is grandfather to the Scottish businessman,

David Pitt-Watson David Pitt-Watson is a Scottish business and social entrepreneur and author. He is a Fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School, and has been active in various initiatives to promote responsible investment including co-chairing the United Nations E ...

References

External links

Video of Pitt-Watson presenting a Bible to Elizabeth II during her coronation.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pitt-Watson, James 1893 births 1962 deaths Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland People educated at George Heriot's School Alumni of the University of Edinburgh 20th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland