Keith Porteous Wood (born November 1947) is the president of the

National Secular Society The National Secular Society (NSS) is a British campaigning organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of church and state. It holds that no one should gain advantage or disadvantage because of their religion or lack of it. It was ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

. From 1996 until November 2017 he held the paid position of

general secretary Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...

which was later re-titled

executive director Executive director is commonly the title of the chief executive officer of a non-profit organization, government agency or international organization. The title is widely used in North American and European not-for-profit organizations, though ...

. In 2007, he received the Distinguished Service to Humanism Award from the

International Humanist and Ethical Union Humanists International (known as the International Humanist and Ethical Union, or IHEU, from 1952–2019) is an international non-governmental organisation championing secularism and human rights, motivated by secular humanist values. Foun ...

for his work in building up the National Secular Society and campaigning for secularism both nationally and internationally.

Biography

Before his appointment as National Secular Society general secretary in 1996, Wood had been director of finance for companies in the wholesale and retail food distribution, financial services and insurance sectors. On his retirement in 2017, he stepped down from his position as the executive director and was elected president, replacing his life partner Terry Sanderson, who was president for eleven years before stepping down and being elected a

vice president A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

. They had been together for over two decades before the recognition of same-sex relationships by the state, and they entered into a

civil partnership A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...

in 2006 although Sanderson hinted they were about to marry in his 2015 autobiography. They remained together until Sanderson's death in 2022.

Secularist and humanist activities

In 1996, Wood was appointed general secretary of the

, following the retirement of Terry Mullins (who had held the post since 1979). Describing him as a "radical campaigner in a business suit",

Peter Brearey Peter Leslie Brearey (23 December 1939 – 7 May 1998) was a British secularist, socialist, and journalist, and editor of '' The Freethinker'' from 1993 to 1998. He was born in Dewsbury. Although his family background was Church of England, ...

, then editor of '' The Freethinker'', welcomed Wood's appointment, noting his campaigning track record and background of "25 years in senior managerial and professional roles covering administration, accounting, legal and company secretarial issues." In 2013, following criticisms from

Lord Carey George Leonard Carey, Baron Carey of Clifton (born 13 November 1935) is a retired Anglican bishop who was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002, having previously been the Bishop of Bath and Wells. During his time as archbishop the Ch ...

, that David Cameron was "feeding anxieties" about Christian persecution and "that the government seemed to be "aiding and abetting" aggressive secularisation," Wood declared that Carey had "no right to insist that his discriminatory and intolerant views should prevail over those of the public and Parliament". As an international representative of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, he has criticised the activities of the Holy See within the United Nations system and accused the Vatican of not fulfilling its political obligations under the

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC or UNCRC) is an international human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children. The Con ...

. Wood is strongly critical of the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church over

Catholic sex abuse cases There have been many cases of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, nuns, Popes and other members of religious life. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the cases have involved many allegations, investigations, trials, convictions, a ...

, worldwide and corruption in the Vatican. He stated, ''"Child abuse is a major issue, along with corruption, that he ope Francisneeds to sort out. His legacy will be judged, I think, on his ability to deal with these immensely difficult problems."''UN tells Vatican to hand over details of child sex abuse cases
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References

Bibliography

*Brearey, Peter (1996). "Radical campaigner in a business suit." '' The Freethinker'', Vol. 116 (6), June, p. 7.

Writings by Keith Porteous Wood

* ''Secularism at the end of the 20th century'' (1997). Leicester: Leicester Secular Society.

External links