Canon Martin Reardon
1932–2005

Canon Martin Reardon (1932–2005) was a prominent Church of England priest and leading figure in the ecumenical movement. He served as the General Secretary of Churches Together in England (1990–1997) and co-founded the Association of Interchurch Families alongside his wife, Ruth, and Fr. John Coventry. His life and legacy are defined by his extensive work in the ecumenical movement.

In 1960, he was sent by the Church of England to Louvain University in Belgium to build ties with Roman Catholic theology, just as the Second Vatican Council was called.

Because he was an Anglican priest who married a Roman Catholic (Ruth Slade), they experienced the challenges of interchurch marriage firsthand. This led them to found the Association of Interchurch Families in 1968, supporting couples navigating dual denominational traditions.

From 1982 to 1989, he was the General Secretary of the Board for Mission and Unity for the Church of England. In 1990, he became the first General Secretary of Churches Together in England (CTE), a post he held until his retirement in 1997.