Robert Alexander Stewart "Robin" Barbour (11 May 1921 – 18 October 2014) was a

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 Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

minister and an author. Robin Barbour was born on 11 May 1921 in

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

George Freeland Barbour Dr George Freeland Barbour DPhil, JP (15 February 1882 – 18 November 1946), was a Scottish author, philosopher and Liberal Party politician. Background He was born in Cults, Aberdeenshire, a son of the Rev Robert William Barbour (1854-1891) ...

and Helen Hepburne-Scott. His father, the laird of Bonskeid,

Pitlochry Pitlochry (; gd, Baile Chloichridh or ) is a town in the Perth and Kinross council area of Scotland, lying on the River Tummel. It is historically in the county of Perthshire, and has a population of 2,776, according to the 2011 census.Scotlan ...

, was a distinguished philosopher and theologian. Initially he was educated at Cargilfield Preparatory School in Edinburgh then at

Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

. He joined Balliol College, Oxford, before the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, during which he served in the Italian campaign with

Scottish Horse The Scottish Horse was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army's Territorial Army raised in 1900 for service in the Second Boer War. It saw heavy fighting in both the First World War, as the 13th Battalion, Black Watch, and in the Second World Wa ...

. Barbour was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

in recognition of his distinguished service during the war. After the war, Barbour graduated from Balliol with a double first in classics and philosophy. He first obtained a teaching qualification in

before studying divinity at the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

, and later studying also at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

. A minister since 1954, he was for many years a lecturer in

divinity Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine< ...

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 ...

and

Professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...

Exegesis Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretation ...

at the

University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

from 1971 to 1982. He was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1979 to 1980 and was the youngest in living memory to be appointed. In 1981, Barbour was appointed Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and served this ministry until 1991. An

Honorary Chaplain to the Queen An Honorary Chaplain to the King (KHC) is a member of the clergy within the United Kingdom who, through long and distinguished service, is appointed to minister to the monarch of the United Kingdom. When the reigning monarch is female, Honorary Ch ...

, he was also a chaplain of the

Order of St John of Jerusalem The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

.''London Gazette''
/ref> Barbour married in 1950 and had four children. He retired in 1986, remaining active in church ministry. He died on 18 October 2014 in Perth, Scotland.

References

1921 births 2014 deaths 21st-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland People educated at Cargilfield School People educated at Rugby School Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford 20th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland Academics of the University of Edinburgh Academics of the University of Aberdeen Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Deans of the Chapel Royal in Scotland Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Recipients of the Military Cross Honorary Chaplains to the Queen Chaplains of the Order of St John Scottish military chaplains Scottish Calvinist and Reformed theologians Scottish Horse officers Military personnel from Edinburgh {{Christian-clergy-stub