Alexander McDonald (5 November 1937 – 17 March 2016) was a Scottish

minister of the Church of Scotland A Church of Scotland congregation is led by its minister and elders. Both of these terms are also used in other Christian denominations: see Minister (Christianity) and Elder (Christianity). This article discusses the specific understanding o ...

who served as the

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 ...

from 1997 to 1998.

Background

McDonald was born in

Bishopbriggs Bishopbriggs ( sco, The Briggs; gd, Achadh an Easbaig) is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the northern fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately from the Glasgow city centre, city centre. Shires of Scotland, Historically in ...

in 1937, the son of Jessie (known as Jeanette) Helen Low and Alexander M. McDonald. He worked in the timber industry in the 1950s, prior to

National Service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The l ...

in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

. He studied at the

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

before training for the ministry at

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

. Following theological studies in the 1960s, his first position after completing his studies was in the rural Church of Scotland, in

Longriggend Longriggend is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, with a population of approximately 200. It is situated on moorland 8 km north-east of Airdrie, in the parish of New Monkland. It is roughly half way between Upperton and Calderc ...

, north

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...

, he served as minister at St David's Parish Church,

Bathgate Bathgate ( sco, Bathket or , gd, Both Chèit) is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, west of Livingston and adjacent to the M8 motorway. Nearby towns are Armadale, Blackburn, Linlithgow, Livingston, West Calder and Whitburn. Situated sout ...

(19681974), then at St Mark's Parish Church, Ralston (19741988) and then as General Secretary of the Church of Scotland's Board of Ministry until he retired in 2002. He was

from 1997 to 1998. His formal title (following the end of his Moderatorial year) was

The Very Reverend The Very Reverend is a Style (manner of address), style given to members of the clergy. The definite article "The" should always precede "Reverend" as "Reverend" is a style or fashion and not a title. Catholic In the Catholic Church, the style i ...

Dr. Alexander McDonald.

Television career

In the early 1980s, he co-presented the

Scottish Television Scottish Television (now, legally, known as STV Central Limited) is the ITV network franchisee for Central Scotland. The channel — the largest of the three ITV franchises in Scotland — has been in operation since 31 August 1957 and is the ...

religious magazine programme ''That's the Spirit!'' and was also interviewed on ''VIP'', also an STV religious show. His role as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland meant he was one of the public figures who led tributes to

Princess Diana Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

upon her death in 1997 in a

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

broadcast. In May 2008, he made a non-speaking cameo appearance in the ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' episode "

The Unicorn and the Wasp "The Unicorn and the Wasp" is the seventh episode of the fourth series of the revived British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was aired on BBC One on 17 May 2008. Set in an English manor house in 1926, shortly before the ...

", playing the part of a footman alongside his son

David Tennant David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show '' Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...

. They also appeared together on an episode of celebrity ''

Ready Steady Cook ''Ready Steady Cook'' is a BBC daytime TV cooking game show. It debuted on 24 October 1994 and the last original edition was broadcast on 2 February 2010. The programme was hosted by Fern Britton from 1994 until 2000 when celebrity chef Ainsley ...

''. He was one of the interviewees for his son's Special Recognition Award at the

National Television Awards The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs) is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted ...

in 2015, during which Tennant dedicated his award to his father.

Personal life

McDonald was married to Helen (daughter of former footballer

Archie McLeod Archibald McAlo McLeod (15 May 1908 – 14 November 1990) was a Scottish footballer who played in the forward position. Career McLeod signed for Partick Thistle from Parkhead Juniors (where he had been capped for the Scotland Juniors team) ...

) for over 40 years, prior to her death on 15 July 2007. They had three children: a daughter named Karen, and two sons, Blair and David. In a 2015 interview, he disclosed that he was terminally ill with

pulmonary fibrosis Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the lungs become scarred over time. Symptoms include shortness of breath, a dry cough, feeling tired, weight loss, and nail clubbing. Complications may include pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failu ...

, a degenerative lung condition. In the same interview, he spoke in support of "right to die" campaigns. McDonald died on 17 March 2016.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McDonald, Alexander 1937 births 2016 deaths 20th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland People from Bishopbriggs 20th-century Royal Air Force personnel Alumni of the University of Glasgow