Moira Astin, Tutor in Church History

Moira Astin

Tutor in Church History

“We are part of the Communion of Saints, throughout the world today and of centuries before us and to come. Perhaps to understand the church today, we need to listen to those who have gone before, and see how they have wrestled with God so that they in their time could ‘proclaim afresh’ the Faith in their generation.”

Moira is the Archdeacon of Reigate in the Diocese of Southwark (the ‘and East Surrey’ part of the Diocese).

Before moving south, she was the Vicar of Frodingham and New Brumby in Scunthorpe, Lincoln Diocese and Area Dean of North Lincolnshire. Before moving north, she served as a Vicar in Woodley near Reading, and taught on the Oxford Diocese Training Scheme for Readers and OLMs, teaching modules on church history, doctrine, ethics and mission. She is delighted to be able to return to teaching again.

Being an extrovert, Moira has been part of working parties rather than writing individually. She was part of the group which wrote Mission Shaped Church (2004, CHP), and Four Funerals and a Wedding (2008, CHP), the report of the working party on occasional offices. She was also involved in producing the latest Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy (2015, CHP)

Moira is also keen on the churches working together, and was an Ecumenical Officer for 14 years, and is part of the Methodist-Anglican Panel for Unity in Mission. In what little spare time she has, she has enjoyed discovering more about the history of the church in what is now England, between 400 and 600.