Alexander Henderson


1583 - 1646

Popular and influential theologian. Raised in Creich (Fife), Henderson was educated at the University of St. Andrews and became the minister at Leuchars in 1612. He rose to become a noted leader of the Scottish Church and contributed much to the organisation of the Presbyterian system. To protect the Scottish Church against attempts to impose the Anglican prayerbook by King Charles I (1600-49), Henderson became the author of the National Covenant of 1638, along with the lawyer Sir Archibald Johnston (1611-63). The same year, Henderson acted as Moderator to a General Assembly of the Church in Glasgow. He became minister of St. Giles Kirk in Edinburgh in 1639 and went on to write a number of papers dealing with religious matters and the government of the church. Henderson drafted the Solemn League and Covenant (1643), was a representative at the Westminster Assembly.(1643-46) and discussed church government directly with Charles I in 1646. Having suffered ill health, he died in Edinburgh and was buried in the churchyard of Greyfriars Kirk. There is a statue of him in the Valley Cemetery in Stirling.


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