Scottish ecclesiastical historian
Archibald Main , KHC (17 December 1876 – 14 March 1947) was a Scottish ecclesiastical historian , Church of Scotland minister , military chaplain , and academic. From 1915 to 1922, he was Professor of Ecclesiastical History at the University of St Andrews . From 1922 to 1942, he was Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History at the University of Glasgow . He served as Chaplain to the King from 1925 and as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1939 to 1940.[1]
Early life and education
Main was born on 17 December 1876 in Partick , Glasgow, Scotland.[2] [3] He was educated at Garnethill Public School in Glasgow.[3] He then studied philosophy at the University of Glasgow , and graduated with a first-class undergraduate Master of Arts (MA Hons) degree in 1899.[2] [4] Having won the Snell Exhibition, he studied modern history and economics at Balliol College, Oxford , and graduated from the University of Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1903.[2] [3] [4] He won the Stanhope Prize in 1903 for an essay on Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor .[3] In 1912, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degree by the University of Glasgow for a thesis titled The Life and Times of Ralph Cudworth .[2] [4]
Career
Ordained ministry
Main was ordained a minister of the Church of Scotland on 28 April 1904.[2] [5] He then served as Minister of St Madoes Church, Glencarse , in the Presbytery of Perth until 1912.[5] He was called to a different church in April 1912, and served as Minister of Old Kilpatrick Church, Dunbartonshire , until 1915.[6] [7] On 20 October 1938, he was nominated as the next Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland .[8] He officially took up the position of Moderator on 23 May, at that start of 1939 General Assembly.[9]
Main was elected Minister of Kirkbean Church in the Presbytery of Dumfries in 1942.[10] He retired from full-time ministry on 13 February 1946 due to ill health.[4] [11]
In May 1925, Main was appointed by King George V as a Chaplain-in-Ordinary to His Majesty in Scotland.[12] He was re-appointed to that position by King Edward VIII (in 1936),[13] and by King George VI (in 1937).[14]
Academic career
Main acted as an examiner at the University of St Andrews in political economy between 1906 and 1908, and political economy and modern history between 1912 and 1914.[3] On 1 October 1915, he was appointed Professor of Ecclesiastical History at the University of St Andrews. He succeeded John Herkless who had been appointed principal of the university.[7] On 1 October 1922, he was appointed Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History at the University of Glasgow .[15] He was the Baird Lecturer from 1935 to 1936.[4] He stepped down from that Regius Chair in September 1942.[2] [4]
Military service
During World War I , Main served as a military chaplain . On 9 July 1917, he was appointed a temporary chaplain and attached to the 2nd Battalion, Fifeshire Volunteer Regiment, Territorial Force .[16] He later transferred to the 7th Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Highlanders , Volunteer Force .[17] On 8 July 1918, he was made a temporary Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class (equivalent in rank to captain ) in the Army Chaplains' Department .[18] He then served in the 9th Volunteer Battalion Royal Highlanders until the end of the war.[19]
In July 1919, Main was made an Honorary Chaplain in recognition of his war service.[19] On 31 March 1922, he was appointed a Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class in the Royal Army Chaplains' Department, Territorial Army Reserve.[20] While a professor at the University of Glasgow, he served as chaplain to the Glasgow University Officers' Training Corps ; he stood down in 1942 when he left academia.[21]
Honours
For his service in World War I , Main was awarded two campaign medals ; the British War Medal and the Victory Medal .[2]
On 30 June 1921, Main was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) degree by his alma mater (the University of Glasgow ).[22] In 1943, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree by the University of Glasgow.[2]
Styles
Family
In 1907 he married Mary Jardine Giffen, daughter of Andrew Giffen of Glasgow. They had one daughter.[23]
References
1929–1950 1950–1975 1975–2000 Since 2000