Denis Duncan: a life in communication
The Rev Denis Macdonald Duncan [1920-2014], Editor of the once renowned ecumenical Christian paper British Weekly [1958-70] and regular contributor after it joined the then Christian Weekly Newspapers group [which included Church of England Newspaper], died on 7 January aged almost 94. His remarkable 70-year ‘ministry of communication’ [his own words] embraced preaching, Christian journalism, authorship, publishing, pastoralia and healing, and Church and the Arts.
Born in Northumberland, his theology studies at New College, Edinburgh [BD Distinction in New Testament] led to Church of Scotland ministry in Kelso, Edinburgh and Glasgow from 1944 to 1957, when the church appointed him Editor of British Weekly, a journal of radical heritage in British Nonconformity, read by ‘people of influence’ across the churches. For several hectic years he ran it from Edinburgh - boosting circulation by bringing in the Congregational Christian World and ecumenical Teaching Christianity - while also fronting Scottish TV’s weekly religious programme, on which he interviewed Sir Alec Douglas-Home when Prime Minister, and Harold Wilson.
In 1967 he moved British Weekly to Fleet Street as an independent company, sustaining its ecumenical prophetic stance until financial pressures led to its sale to CWN in 1970. Subsequently writing for it and its successor Christian Week [finally closed in 1987], his pastoral columns and ‘Day at a Time’ spiritual diary, later published as a devotional anthology, were an inspiration to many.
His Christian journalism ranged widely, including a highprofile piece on Britain’s moral state for News of the World: most notable was his Daily Telegraph devotional column each Saturday for 13 years. These meditations, reflecting rich understanding of the human condition and deep pastoral concern, were highly popular, and subsequently published as books - Be Still and Know and Rainbows through the Rain. He kept up this ‘ministry of print’ almost to his death, last December mentioning to friends recent pieces in Life and Work (Church of Scotland), Sunday Post, People’s Friend and other media! Authorship was very close to his heart, too - 2013 saw his 12th paperback, 100 Prayers Where You Are - and his publishing ventures, Arthur James and Ecclesia Services, helped advance this side of his ministry. The Road Taken, his very honest ‘autobiographical reflections’ published 1997, reveals his total dedication to a freelance ‘ministry of communication’, remarkable determination and energy, and constant openness to ‘the next step’ as revealed by the ‘unseen presence’.
In demand at churches and conferences for his sensitive and uplifting exposition of the Word, he developed special concern for pastoralia and healing ministry, leading healing services at many churches. Convinced the Church should take absolutely seriously Jesus’ call to ‘heal the sick’, he contributed significantly to developing several major ventures in this field - as Associate Director of Westminster Pastoral Foundation [1971-1979], Director of Highgate Counselling Centre (1973-86), Director of Churches’ Council for Health and Healing [198287] and Chairman of the World Association of Pastoral Care and Counselling [1977-79]. He keenly promoted the Lin Berwick Trust for holiday homes for disabled people.
In the 1960s, he ventured into Christian engagement in the Arts, staging Edinburgh Fringe shows at St John’s Episcopal Church with musician Donald Swann, poet Sydney Carter and others. I personally recall these events, ‘raising religious questions’, caught the mood of the time - and revealed his lighter side. A man of kindly manner whose caring presence always made one feel uplifted, his many-sided ministry touched very many lives for good.