New Presbyterian moderator to be elected

The result of the election of the moderator is expected to be revealed some time between 8pm and 10pm, although whoever is accorded the post will not formally take it up until June this year.

The trio who are in the running are Rev Tony Davidson, (of First Armagh church), Rev Robert Bell (of Ballyclare church) and the Rev Frank Sellar (minister of Bloomfield church in east Belfast).

The current holder of the post is Rev Ian McNie – a self-described “conservative evangelical”.

Upon his election last year he had said that “the truth of the gospel has not changed and we should not allow society to pressure us into departing from the core values of the scriptures”.

Rev Bell has been described as a “conservative middle churchman”, while Rev Sellar is viewed as an evangelical conservative.

Rev Davidson, meanwhile, is seen as being towards the liberal end of the church.

The Presbyterian Church said that on Wednesday morning a statement from the new moderator will be delivered at its headquarters in the Assembly Buildings in Belfast city centre.