BBC ALBA DOCUMENTARY ON PROFESSOR DONALD MACLEOD

Freumhan / Professor D Macleod - A Life
Thursday 1 October 2009, 9pm on BBC ALBA

Dr Donald Macleod, Principal of the Free Church College in Edinburgh, has always been a bold advocate of the causes that are dear to him. As well known for his searing political polemics as he is for theological brilliance, he has never ducked a difficult issue, nor been afraid to rattle cages amongst friend and foe alike.

In the run-up to his final year as College Principal, Dr Macleod retraces his life’s journey, from his roots in Ness on the Isle of Lewis, along the stunning west coast to Glasgow and through to Edinburgh, for an exclusive documentary titled ‘Freumhan’ on BBC ALBA.

Joining him on his journey is Highland journalist Angus Macdonald and together they consider how Scotland’s political, sociological and religious landscape has altered, and how these changes have shaped Dr Macleod’s life and also the communities and church that he has served.

Raised in Laxdale near Stornoway, but born in Ness, where as a young man he observed the impact of mass emigration, and social injustice. In his teenage years his academic abilities became apparent and it was also in his teens that he became a Christian, professing faith at the age of nineteen. Whilst studying at Glasgow he became aware of the work of JG Machen, and adopted his robustly intellectual approach to evangelicalism, as opposed to the more mystical influences of his youth.

Dr Macleod’s pastoral career took him first to Lochaber in 1964. He then moved to Glasgow’s Partick district in 1970, where he enjoyed a decade long, seminal, ministry. Whilst still only 36 he became the youngest ever incumbent of the Systematic Theology Chair at the Free Church College, when he was elected in 1979.

Since then he has become known for his influential polemical writings, firstly in the Free Church periodical, The Monthly Record, and latterly in the weekly newspaper, The West Highland Free Press.

The central theme of this documentary is the importance of roots, in family, community and spiritually.

‘Freumhan’ has been produced by Angus Mackay at Corran Media and will be broadcast on BBC ALBA on Thursday 1 October at 9pm and repeated on Monday 5 October at 10.30pm. BBC ALBA is available on Sky channel 168 & Freesat channel 110 and live on BBC iPlayer.