Blast at 'social apartheid' from new Moderator

The 63-year-old, who has been minister of Ballysillan Presbyterian Church in Belfast for the last 22 years, said he would use his year to encourage debate on tackling sectarianism.

"It seems to me that we have all settled into what I would describe as a social apartheid, where it is very comfortable to live without any meaningful contact with folks who are different from us,” said Dr Hamilton in his opening address as moderator.

"There are huge implications of that, for example, why would anybody want to invest in a community where people don't even talk to each other

"So this isn't just about social cohesion, this is about the health and the future of the province."

Born in Lurgan, Thomas Norman Hamilton attended First Lurgan Presbyterian Church and was educated at Portadown College.

After graduating with a BA from Trinity College Dublin in 1969 he began what he expected to be a life long career in the Civil Service but after seven years joined the staff of the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship.

In 1980 he began training for the Presbyterian Ministry at Union Theological College and graduated with a BD from Queen's three years later.

Dr Hamilton was ordained as assistant minister in Lowe Memorial congregation in Finaghy before being called as minister to Ballysillan in 1988 where his ministry has been marked by extensive involvement in community relations work and for which he was awarded an OBE in 2007.

He is presently a member of the General Assembly's Church and Society Committee.

A French and German speaker, Dr Hamilton is also a keen photographer and is married to Evelyn with one daughter, Julie.