Torrance family explained

The Torrance family includes several prominent modern Scottish theologians and clergymen, primarily associated with the Church of Scotland.^[1]

The patriarch of the Torrance family of theologians is Thomas Torrance (1871–1959), a Scottish missionary to China. He was the father of Mary, Thomas F., Grace, Margaret, James, and David.

The first generation after Thomas Torrance include:

• Thomas Forsyth (T. F.) Torrance (1913–2007) – Late Church of Scotland minister and influential theologian who was Professor of Christian Dogmatics at New College, Edinburgh, the University of Edinburgh.^{[2] [3]}
• James (J. B.) Torrance (1923–2003) – Late Church of Scotland minister and Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Aberdeen. Younger brother of Thomas Torrance.^[4]
• David W. Torrance (born 1924) – Church of Scotland minister and youngest son of the Torrance family.
• Ronald Wallace (1911–2006) – Late Professor of Biblical Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary. He was married to Mary.^[5] His son-in-law, George Newlands, was also an academic theologian.
• Kenneth Mackenzie (1920 - 1971), missionary in Central Africa with his wife, Margaret Torrance.

Well-known second generation theologians of the Torrance family include:

• Iain Richard Torrance (born 1949) – President and Professor of Patristics Emeritus at Princeton Theological Seminary and a former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Son of Thomas F. Torrance.^[6]
• Alan Torrance (born 1956) – Emeritus Professor of Systematic Theology at St Mary's College, the University of St Andrews. Son of James Torrance.^[7]

Theologically active members of the Torrance family's third generation are:

• Andrew Torrance - Professor of Theology and co-founder (with his father, Alan) of the Logos Institute for Analytic and Exegetical Theology at the University of St Andrews.^[8]
• David Torrance - Missionary with the Church Mission Society serving in Tanzania as a theological educator.^[9] Son of Alan Torrance.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Torrance. roxborogh.com. 2016-07-25.
2. Web site: Biography of Thomas Forsyth Torrance, by Elmer Colyer, used by permission of InterVarsity Press.. tftorrance.org. 2016-07-25.
3. Web site: Academic and Church of Scotland minister and former moderator - The Scotsman. thescotsman.scotsman.com. 2016-07-25.
4. News: The Rev Professor James Torrance; Professor of theology in Scotland who believed the reformer John Calvin was misunderstood . . https://web.archive.org/web/20080720042229/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1025320.ece. 2008-07-20 . unfit . 2022-06-15.
5. Web site: Professor Ronald Wallace - The Scotsman. thescotsman.scotsman.com. 2016-07-25.
6. Web site: Princeton Theological Seminary. ptsem.edu. 2016-07-25.
7. Web site: torrance | School of Divinity, University of St Andrews. st-andrews.ac.uk. 2016-07-25.
8. Web site: Dr Andrew Torrance . School of Divinity . University of St Andrews . 1 November 2022.
9. Web site: David A. Torrance . Bloomsbury . 29 February 2024.