McKay Interview: The Reverend Dr William McComish (13 July 2020)

This week, Michael is talking to Bill McCormish. He will be well-known to many of you. Whether you are Genevois, Christian, Protestant or just from the UK, you will probably know, or know of, the Rev. Dr William (Bill) McComish. He is wise and ubiquitous and always a pleasure to be with. And he has been in Geneva a long time.
He was born in the United Kingdom, in Northern Ireland to be precise; and started his Ministry as a pastor in Ireland in 1974. Very early on, he was involved in interfaith dialogue in Northern Ireland. That would have been in the time of what is euphemistically called “The Troubles”.

He arrived in Switzerland in the 1980s where he earned his DD (Doctor of Divinity) in Theology. He then became the Dean of the Cathedral of St. Pierre Geneva. An important position in this the city of Jean Calvin and world home of Protestantism. Dr McComish retired a few years ago.

He is a visiting professor of the History of Religions at the University of Oxford. His experience in inter-confessional dialogue and mediation brought him to act in conflict regions in Africa and Asia, namely in Indonesia.

Among the many books he has written, he is co-author of the Geneva Spiritual Appeal.