Rev Dr John Stott, the distinguished Bible teacher, and leading British evangelical Anglican has received a CBE in the Queen's New Year Honours List, “for services to Christian scholarship and the Christian world”.

|PIC1|The celebrated Biblical scholar and Rector emeritus of All Souls Church, Langham Place, received his CBE from the Queen after an illustrious career serving God.

John Stott was born in London in 1921, and was educated at Rugby School, where he became head boy, and Trinity College Cambridge.

John Stott trained for the pastorate at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He was awarded a Lambeth doctorate in divinity in 1983 and has honorary doctorates from schools in America, Britain and Canada.

Dr John Stott has attended his local church, All Souls, since he was a small boy. following his ordination in 1945, John Stott became assistant curate at All Souls and then, unusually, went straight on to become rector in 1950. He became rector emeritus in 1975, a position which he continues to hold.

Dr. Stott was also chair of the Church of England Evangelical Council from 1967 to 1984 and president of two influential Christian organizations, the British Scripture Union from 1965 to 1974 and the British Evangelical Alliance from 1973 to 1974. Dr. Stott combined his commitment to evangelism and his fostering of future Christian leaders by involving himself in the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, where he was president four times between 1961 and 1982. He also served as a chaplain to the queen from 1959 to 1991 and received the rare honour of being appointed an Extra Chaplain in 1991.

|TOP|One of Dr. Stott’s major contributions to world evangelisation was through the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelisation held at Lausanne, Switzerland. John Stott acted as chair of the drafting committee for the Lausanne Covenant, a significant milestone in the evangelical movement.

As chair of the Lausanne Theology and Education Group from 1974 to 1981, he contributed strongly to the growing evangelical understanding of the relation between evangelism and social action.

Dr Stott’s commitment to the renewal of evangelicalism in the worldwide Anglican Church led to his involvement in the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC); from 1960 to 1981 he was honorary general secretary, and from 1986 to 1990 he served as its President. His desire to strengthen ties between evangelical theologians in Europe was a key force in the founding of the Fellowship of European Evangelical Theologians (FEET) in 1977.

Having written over 40 titles and hundreds of articles and other contributions to Christian literature, Dr Stott has a prodigious literary reputation and is one of the leading Christian writers of the era.

Billy Graham has testified Dr Stott as “the most respected clergyman in the world today,”

|AD|Other Church figures recognised in the New Years’ Honours were:

OBE
The Rt Rev John Michael Austin formally Bishop of Aston Birmingham, for services to interfaith relations.

Frances Mary Beckett chief executive, Church Urban Fund, and chair of the Home Office advisory group on the voluntary and community sector, for services to disadvantaged people.

Ann Christine, Lady Eames, commissioner, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, for services to the community in Northern Ireland.

Cliff Maurice Marks for charitable services and for services to Christian/Jewish relations.

Thomas Wilfred Mulryne, formerly principal, Methodist College, Belfast, for services to education.

The Very Rev Dr Kenneth Norman Ernest Newell, formerly moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, for services to community relations in Northern Ireland.

Robert Henry Owen Hayward for humanitarian services overseas especially through Christian Aid.

Katerina Frances Phillips, director, external relations, Christian Aid, services to disadvantaged people.

Sister Isabel Smyth, formerly Chief Executive Scottish Interfaith Council for services to interfaith relations.

MBE
Brenda Margaret Bolton for services to ecclesiastical history.

The Rev Cannon Elizabeth Jane Clay, prison chaplain, HM Prison and Young Offenders Institution New Hall West Yorkshire.

The Rev Bryan John Gracie, chaplain, HM Prison Birmingham.

William Murphy, co-ordinator of the churches programme, Glencree centre for reconciliation, Ireland.

Margaret Norris, caterer, St John’s Church of England Infant School, Churt Farnham, Surrey, for services to education.

The Rev Christopher Stark, foster carer, for services to children and families in North Yorkshire.

Commonwealth award — CMG
The Very Rev Patrick Ezekiel McIntosh for services to the church and the community.

Queen’s volunteer reserves medal
The Rev Richard Thomas Grey chaplain to the forces (3rd class), Royal Army Chaplains’ Department, Territorial Army.