Content about Canterbury

For more than a thousand years this country has to one degree or another sought to recognise that Jesus is the Son of God; by the ordering of its society, by its laws, by its sense of community. Sometimes we have done better, sometimes worse. When we do better we make space for our own courage to be liberated, for God to act among us and for human beings to flourish. Slaves were freed, Factory Acts passed, and the NHS and social care established through Christ-liberated courage. The present challenges of environment and economy, of human development and global poverty, can only be faced with extraordinary courage.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has offered his congratulations to Francis I, the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope.

Francis’ election is “of great significance to Christians everywhere, not least among Anglicans...."

Anglican ecomiums upon the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI

Conservative Anglican leaders have welcomed the Church of England's decision to recognize the validity of the orders of the Free Church of England. The 28 Jan 2013 announcement allows the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to license clergy from the Free Church for service in the Church of England without first re-ordaining them.

A selection of links to sermons preached by the leaders of the Church of England, Church of Ireland and Church in Wales this Christmas. Topics raised by the bishop of the Church of England, Church of Ireland, and Church in Wales ranged from Israeli policies in the occupied territories, reaching out to the poor and marginalized, conforming the church to the changing moral and social standards of society, and the mystery of the incarnation.

The leader of the Anglican Church of Canada has lobbied the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate not to extend formal recognition to the Anglican Church in North America. However, the decision who is an Anglican does not rest with the Archbishop of Canterbury.  The communion’s formal statement as to who is an Anglican looks to fellowship with the Archbishop of Canterbury and fidelity to the doctrines and disciplines set forth in the Book of Common Prayer.

Conservative Evangelicals in the Church of England have asked for the appointment of one of their own to serve as a “flying bishop". 

In an email sent to its members this week, Reform noted that with the vacancy for the position of bishop of Ebbsfleet, “please write to the Achrchbishops’ Appointments Secretary” to “make the case” that the next Provincial Episcopal Visitor be a “conservative Evangelical.”

Beware of hats.

Not cats or bats but hats. Beware. … That is my unsolicited advice to the next Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Were the great man to give me two minutes of his time and seek my counsel, I would urge him to remember that inappropriate headgear can be deadly.

Just ask Michael Dukakis. The Democrat Party presidential candidate in 1988 ran a skillful primary battle against his party opponents, but let Vice President George H.W. Bush define him in the general campaign.  The man behind the “Massachusetts miracle” was painted as being soft on crime and weak on defense.  Remember the Willie Horton ads? Don’t blame Bush for that one, however. Al Gore first came up with that attack in the primaries.

The student union at the former Archbishop of Canterbury’s alma mater has begun a petition campaign calling for Kings College London to remove George Carey's portrait from a gallery of famous alumni.

On 26 Oct 2012 the Kings College London Student Union released a statement saying it was offended by Lord Carey’s remarks on marriage in a talk given at a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party Conference. Lord Carey told the meeting at Birmingham Town Hall that re-defining marriage would “strike at the very fabric of society”.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has rejected suggestions this month’s meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council was irrelevant, saying there was much to be “grateful for” from the ten day gathering in Auckland, New Zealand.

Speaking to the General Synod of the Church of England on 19 Nov 2012, Dr. Rowan Williams said he wished to respond to criticisms the “structure and pattern of ACC meetings is designed to push to the margin some of the more difficult and controversial matters in the Communion … to focus on mind on the process and take our minds away from the arguments we are not prepared to have.”

I have enjoyed and valued my contacts with him.  In the early stages of what has become Continuing Indaba - a movement of honest conversation across difference - his wide knowledge of the Anglican Communion, particularly in Africa, was of great importance.

Our proposal, while not intended to deny the honour due to Canterbury as an historic see, is an expression of the truth we hold as vital, that our identity as Anglicans stems first and foremost from adherence to the faith we confess.