Church's new moderator was an extra in Monty Python movie

An Edinburgh minister who was once an extra in a Monty Python movie has been selected as the new moderator of the Church of Scotland's General Assembly.

Rev Colin Sinclair will succeed the Rt Rev Susan Brown in the role next year.

Rev Sinclair, originally from Glasgow, is the minister of Palmerston Place Church in Edinburgh.

The Stirling University economics graduate, who has worked for decades with Scripture Union, said he was honoured to take up the role.

“I am honoured to be selected for this opportunity to represent the Church of Scotland nationally and internationally,” the married father-of-four said. “It will be a pleasure to encourage church members in their faith and to see the impact of their faith in communities.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed being a parish minister and despite the challenges we face I believe the Christian faith is still relevant to Scotland. Our message is still Good News and it still changes lives.”

Rev Sinclair first became interested in the Christian faith as a pupil at Glasgow Academy when, to escape getting into trouble after a prefect saw him taking the wrong staircase, he dodged into a room where a Scripture Union camp video was showing.

While a university student, he took a holiday job as a film extra playing a Roman soldier in the 1975 comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Earlier this year, the Presbyterian Church’s General Assembly voted to loosen ties with the Church of Scotland due to its more liberal attitude to same-sex relationships.

The decision means the head of the Church of Scotland will no longer be invited to the annual meeting of the General Assembly in Belfast.