The Very Reverend James Sutherland Thomson was born in Stirling Scotland. He received his M.A. (1914) and a Doctor of Divinity (1920) from University of Glasgow. He served in World War I with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (1915-17) and the Rifle Brigade 1917-19 achieving the rank of Captain. He emigrated to Canada in 1930 to be Professor of Systematic Theology at Pine Hill College, Halifax. In 1937 he was appointed President of the University of Saskatchewan, a post he held for twelve years. In 1949 he accepted the position of J.W. McConnell Professor of the Philosophy of Religion and the first Dean of the new Faculty of Divinity, McGiII University. Prior to accepting this position he had been a Governor of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Thomson was Moderator of the United Church of Canada between 1956 and 1958. In his retirement he remained active as Lecturer on Philosophy of Education at McGiII University and Professor at the United Theological College (Montreal).