Clergyman. Born in Bothwell (South Lanarkshire), he was raised in Troon (South Ayrshire). He began studying chemical engineering at the University of Strathclyde but soon transferred to the University of Glasgow to read divinity. He was ordained in 1979 and served first as Minister of the Parish Church at Renton (West Dunbartonshire) and then Palmerston Place Church in Edinburgh (1986-95) becoming an administrator for the Church of Scotland, based in their offices at 121 George Street. He was appointed a Chaplain to the Queen in Scotland in 2013, served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (2014-15) and Convener of the World Mission Council. He met Pope Francis in Rome in 2015 and, with Francis and other church leaders, he played a key role in seeking peace in Sudan. He also served as Convenor of the Board of the National School for the Deaf, having been involved for more than 20 years.
Chalmers was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Aberdeen in 2016. His youngest son John-James (J.J.) Chalmers (b.1986) was severely injured by a bomb in Afghanistan in 2011 but won several medals in the Invictus Games three years later.
