News

Scot is new head of CTBI

February 10, 2006

A minister from the Scottish Episcopal Church is to head Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. The Revd Canon Bob Fyffe will be the new general secretary of the official ecumenical body which brings together Churches of Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant and Pentecostal traditions. 

He succeeds Dr David Goodbourn who has completed a seven-year term and is now president of the Partnership for Theological Education, based in Manchester.

Canon Bob Fyffe comes into the post at a time when the Churches have been looking closely at new ways of working to meet new demands with shrinking resources. He says: ‘The ecumenical structures have gone through a time of change and revisioning. I’m looking forward to working with those who want to continue building reconciliation in our Churches and communities

‘Churches Together is about resourcing conversations between Christians in their parishes, living out their faith, where they are. We need to help them be creative in an atmosphere of respect and trust.

‘We are seeing the need for a deeper respect of one another’s faith and traditions,' he continued. 'This respect lies at the heart of inter church and inter faith dialogue. CTBI plays a crucial role in encouraging and resourcing new dialogue between the Churches, and in the areas of racial justice and mission. I’m delighted to be taking over as the general secretary at this important and exciting time.

'I want to pay special tribute to Dr David Goodbourn who has led CTBI and its member Churches through a time of change and challenge,' he added. 'I hope to build on his work and look forward with enthusiasm to joining the team at CTBI.’ He begins work in June.

Canon Bob Fyffe brings to the post experience of church life at local, national and international level. He trained for ordination at Edinburgh Theological College and was ordained in 1979. For fourteen years he has been rector of St John the Baptist, and Canon of St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth. Dr Kevin Franz, General Secretary of ACTS, is also a Canon of the Cathedral, where he was formerly Provost. Canon Fyffe is a member of the Conference of European Churches’ planning group for the third European Ecumenical Assembly and has just returned from the major gathering in Rome.

He is married to Theresa, with two grown-up children. His wife, a Catholic, is from Dublin. On being an inter church family he says: ‘Coming from different Christian traditions has been enormously enriching but there is an aspect of pain involved because we have never been able to receive communion together in her church.’

Chair of CTBI’s trustees, Mrs Margaret Swinson, said: ‘I am looking forward to working with Bob as CTBI and the other ecumenical instruments move into a new relationship and way of working. His fresh view and enthusiasm will be an asset to the Churches.’

Canon Bob Fyffe succeeds Dr David Goodbourn who in 1997 was the first Baptist and the first layman to be made general secretary of CTBI. Dr Goodbourn said: 'I'm delighted that Bob is to become the next general secretary. We were colleagues once in Scotland, and I have great respect for him and his abilities. He'll do an excellent job.'