The Legacy of John Moir

Dr. John Sargent Moir, professor, author, and renowned church historian passed away March 9 at the age of 86.

“It’s impossible for anyone to write about the history of the Presbyterian Church in Canada without John’s name coming up,” said Rev. Peter Bush, minister at Westwood, Winnipeg, and longtime editor of the Presbyterian History newsletter.

Moir wrote and edited many books about Canadian history and the church. His book Enduring Witness is widely considered essential reading for any scholar of the PCC. He taught history at Carleton University in Ottawa for a decade and at the University of Toronto (where he was professor emeritus) for 24 years. Although he was a well-respected scholar, Moir was “gracious” according to his former students.
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"I remember John saying, my work is not the last word—just a word," said Dr. Mark McGowan, a former student of Moir and now principal emeritus at University of Toronto's St. Michael's College. "He was fond of calling his work ‘trial balloons' … He always recognized there was more to be said and hoped his work would encourage other scholars to do more research."

John Moir, the author, has left a body of work, but as Bush noted, “a more subtle, but no less important legacy” lives on: his students.

“He is the reason I’m here at the archives,” shared Kim Arnold, church archivist, former student, and friend of Moir’s.

Arnold drew on the words of Martin Luther King Jr. to describe her mentor at a tribute dinner in 2001: “Everyone has the power for greatness—not for fame, but for greatness because greatness is determined by service.”

The Tribute from Kim Arnold can be found here.