Edward S. Kiek
# Edward S. Kiek

Edward Sidney Kiek (5 August 1883 – 24 April 1959) was a Congregationalist minister, and principal of Parkin College, that church's seminary in Adelaide, South Australia. He was married to Winifred Kiek (c. 1884 – 23 May 1975) who was in 1927 the first woman to be ordained minister of a Christian church in Australia.

## History

Edward Sidney Kiek, known commonly as "Kiek", was born in London, a son of Sidney Kiek, a publisher and seller of religious literature, and his wife Susannah Kiek, née Berry. He was educated at the Central Foundation School, City Road, London and King's College London. He joined the Civil Service and served as clerk in the Admiralty for four years. He entered Wadham College in 1903 intent on the life of a Congregationalist missionary and was conferred BA by Oxford University in 1906 and MA in 1910. He undertook theological studies under Dr. Fairbairn at Mansfield College, Oxford, and was conferred BD in 1911 or 1912. His first charge was a Congregational church at Newcastle-under-Lyme, in Staffordshire, where he was ordained in 1910, then in 1913 was called to the Square Congregational Church, Halifax, West Yorkshire. He became associated with the YMCA and under its auspices worked in France during the Great War.

In 1919 he was appointed principal of Parkin Theological College, 64 North Terrace, Kent Town, South Australia, following the death of Dr. L. D. Bevan (1842–1918). He was noted for introducing Oxford-style intellectual rigour into the curriculum, a more liberal theology, and moving away from literal interpretation of Scripture.

He regularly wrote thoughtful essays for the newspapers: he was critical of John Curtin's advocacy of isolationism in response to the rise of belligerent dictatorships. He demonstrated in 1938 a clear understanding of the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany in a dispassionate address and was quick to denounce Nazi anti-Semitism. He was an opponent of racial discrimination, drinking and gambling. He was a member and passionate supporter of the Common Cause movement.

He was conferred Doctor of Divinity by the Melbourne College of Divinity in 1950. He retired in 1957.

Kiek Place, in the Canberra suburb of Chisholm, is named for Kiek and his wife.

## Other positions

* He conducted lectures for the Workers' Educational Association and the University of Adelaide.
* He was a founder of the Round Table Christian Sociological Society and was its president for 37 years.
* President of the Congregational Union (SA) in the years 1929–30 and 1950–51.
* President of the South Australian Council of Churches in 1927–28.
* President of the United Churches Social Reform Board in 1946–47.
* President of the Congregational Union of Australia and New Zealand from 1946 to 1948.
* Chairman of the SA committee of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration from 1946 to 1948.
* President of the SA committee of the World Council of Churches in 1954.
* Member of the libraries Board of South Australia in 1955.
* He was an active Freemason and held several responsible positions in the craft.
