Justin Welby confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury at St Paul’s Cathedral; Bishop calls for prayers for starving consumers and struggling farmers; Church of England raises fears over future of RE in schools; Church of England briefs parliament on their opposition to marriage eqaulity; Media review
Justin Welby confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury at St Paul’s Cathedral
The Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Justin Welby, has officially become the Archbishop of Canterbury at a ceremony, known as the ‘Confirmation of Election’, which took place in the context of an act of worship in St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday.
The ceremony forms part of the legal process by which the appointment of the new Archbishop of Canterbury is put into effect. It was presided over by the Archbishop of York with the assistance of the Bishops of London, Winchester, Salisbury, Worcester, Rochester, Lincoln, Leicester and Norwich. All were commissioned for this purpose by Her Majesty The Queen – who is the ‘Supreme Governor’ of the Church of England.
Bishop Justin’s name was put forward to The Queen some months ago by the Church’s ‘Crown Nominations Commission’ in accordance with constitutional arrangements that have been in place for many years. The appointment is formalized by legal steps taken in accordance with the Appointment of Bishops Act 1533. First, his election was undertaken in January by the Dean and Canons of Canterbury Cathedral. Next, their election of him has to be confirmed by the wider Church, which is what happened today.
The appointment is significant not only for the diocese of Canterbury (where he will be the diocesan bishop, though much of the day-to-day oversight of the diocese is carried out on his behalf by the Bishop of Dover), but also for the wider ‘Province’ of Canterbury – the 29 dioceses in the South of England, and the Diocese of Europe, which all fall under his general oversight.
In addition, it is to the bishop of the See of Canterbury, with which Anglicans have historically been in communion, that Anglicans worldwide give a primacy of honour and respect among the college of bishops in the Anglican Communion – as ‘first among equals’ (primus inter pares). In that role, as a focus and means of unity within the Communion, the Archbishop convenes and works with the Lambeth Conference and Primates’ Meeting, and presides in the Anglican Consultative Council.
Since at least the fourth century it has been a fundamental principle in the Christian Church that the election of a new bishop must be confirmed by the wider Church, especially by the bishops of the region. The legal significance of the act of confirmation cannot be overstated: it confers upon the new Archbishop ‘the care, government and administration of the spirituals’ of the archbishopric. It is the confirmation of his election which makes the Archbishop-elect into the Bishop of the diocese of Canterbury and Archbishop of the Province.
The wording used in the course of the confirmation ceremony has a long history. Before the eighteenth century it was in Latin, but in about 1733 an English translation was introduced. At the service today, a somewhat modernised version was used. It involved recital of the Mandate from the Queen, authorizing the appointment; introduction of the new Archbishop; certification of the steps taken in his election by the dean and canons of Canterbury; his Declaration of Assent to the historic doctrines and worship of the Church of England; a ‘Charge’ by the Archbishop of York, based on the needs of the diocese and province perceived by those involved in his appointment; and finally a ‘Sentence’ conferring on him spiritual jurisdiction over the diocese and province.
Enthronement on 21 March
After this step has been taken, there remain other formal stages before he begins his public ministry in Church and State, in particular his act of ‘Homage’ to The Queen. The public inauguration of his ministry – ‘the Enthronement’ – will take place at Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March, and will be broadcast live on the BBC.
Meanwhile, the new Archbishop will be familiarizing himself with the tasks he will be called upon to perform over the coming years, meeting those he will be working with most closely, and preparing himself generally for all that lies ahead. He invites your prayers, for himself, his family, the Church and the nation, during this period of preparation – and beyond.
Bishop calls for prayers for starving consumers and struggling farmers
The Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Rev Stephen Platten, has called on people to pray for the whole food production chain from struggling farmers, in the UK and elsewhere, to those that do not have enough to eat.
Backing the Enough Food For Everyone If campaign, the Bishop emphasised the call for governments, companies and individuals to work together to take the necessary steps to reduce the millions currently going hungry and the amount of food wasted.
At the other end of the food chain, he added, those who produce food also need prayers. Farmers in the UK, for example, are facing cuts in their income of up to 50 per cent due to weather damage, according to latest estimates from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
“The world produces enough food for everyone, yet nearly a billion people are starving,” said Bishop Stephen. “If we all work together we can make dramatic progress towards ending global hunger – IF. But we must not forget those who produce that food.
“The UK, in recent months, has seen dreadful weather that has ruined crops and disrupted harvests. The end result, according to DEFRA, is that many farmers face a cut in income of up to a half. Such crop failures can happen anywhere, so, while we pray for an end to global hunger, we should pray for those who produce the food, too.”
Church of England raises fears over future of RE in schools
By Edward Malnick, Telegraph – The Church of England has warned that the Government has “no real interest” in religious education.
The Bishop of Oxford, the Church’s lead spokesman on education issues, said ministers viewed the subject as a “scary nuisance”, despite retaining a legal requirement for schools to teach it.
The Rt Rev John Pritchard’s warning came in a letter to bishops following a meeting with David Laws, the Liberal Democrat schools minister.
Highlighting RE’s exclusion from the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), the new school leaving certificate, the bishop wrote: “The state and future of RE is still a major concern. Not only is it not in the EBacc, but teacher training places have nearly halved and a spiral of decline seems inevitable. The latest survey shows secondary schools not filling vacancies and reducing time for RE, and some primary schools giving the responsibility to teaching assistants.”
He added: “We’ll keep up the pressure as I’m sure you will too, but it’s clear that Government has no real interest in RE because they see it as a scary nuisance, and its protected status as a guarantee that all is well. It isn’t.”
Pupils can gain the EBacc certificate for achieving good GCSE grades in English, maths, science, history or geography and a foreign language.
Bishop Pritchard said that the exclusion of RE from the certificate had caused a “diminution” of the subject in the minds of head teachers, adding that he feared a “general decline” in the teaching of religion.
Church of England briefs parliament on their opposition to marriage eqaulity
The Church of England has briefed members of Parliament on the official opposition to proposals to make marriage equality legal in the UK.
Here is the summary of the document, prepared by the Parliamentary Unit, Mission and Public Affairs Division and Legal Office of the Church of England:
The Church of England cannot support the Bill, because of its concern for the uncertain and unforeseen consequences for wider society and the common good when marriage is redefined in gender-neutral terms.
This reshaping and unnecessary politicising of a fundamental social institution, which predates church and state, did not feature in party manifestos, was not included in the last Queen’s Speech and has no mandate from the Government’s own consultation exercise. The legislation has also been prepared at great haste and as a result relies on an unacceptably wide use of secondary legislation.
We do not doubt the Government’s good intentions in seeking to leave each church and faith to reach its own view on same sex marriage and including provisions in the Bill to protect them from discrimination challenges. If the Bill proceeds into law it is essential that the various ‘locks’ in the Bill are preserved as drafted. The Church of England, whose clergy solemnize around a quarter of all marriages in England, has sought no more safeguards in substance than those provided for other Churches and faiths.
The Church of England recognises the evident growth in openness to and understanding of same sex relations in wider society. Within the membership of the Church there are a variety of views about the ethics of such relations, with a new appreciation of the need for and value of faithful and committed lifelong relationships recognised by civil partnerships.
Civil partnerships have proved themselves as an important way to address past inequalities faced by LGBT people and already confer the same rights as marriage. To apply uniformity of treatment to objectively different sorts of relationship – as illustrated by the remaining unanswered questions about consummation and adultery- is an unwise way of promoting LGBT equality.
The continuing uncertainty about teachers, the position of others holding traditional views of marriage working in public service delivery, and the risk of challenges to churches in the European courts despite the protections provided, suggest that if the legislation becomes law it will be the focus for a series of continued legal disputes for years to come.
MEDIA REVIEW
Archbishop of York : “Be The Generation Which Ends Global Poverty”
The Archbishop has written in the Yorkshire Post today about the Prime Minister having the chance to make a significant and long lasting positive impact for people living in poverty around the globe by putting the poorest at the heart of policy agenda at home and overseas. http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2811/being-the-generation-to-end-global-poverty
A welcome for Archbishop Justin Welby
The Archbishop of York welcomes Archbishop Justin Welby with prayers and support for his new ministry as the Archbishop of Canterbury
http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2812/a-welcome-for-archbishop-justin-welby
Report that Michael Gove, Education Secretary with tell teachers at Church Schools that they will be able to “disapprove of gay marriage … without fear of being dismissed”.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/education/article3677050.ece
Diary item that the Sun newspaper has cut the column written by the Archbishop of York.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9845685/Rupert-Murdoch-rids-himself-of-turbulent-priest-John-Sentamu.html
Redefining marriage will cause chaos; same-sex unions need a new name
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/9845954/Redefining-marriage-will-cause-chaos-same-sex-unions-need-a-new-name.html
News report “Good Evans!” on Radio 2 Breakfast’s show high rating with ref to Pause for Thought slot
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2272473/Good-Evans-They-said-d-live-Wogan-live-wild-past–Radio-2-s-DJ-record-9-5m-listeners.html#axzz2Jqi63O4Z
Sun Tel Leader: “A party at risk of divorce from its core supporters”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/9844557/A-party-at-risk-of-divorce-from-its-core-supporters.html
Michael Gove on “Marriage is the greatest joy of my life …denying it to gay men and women is wrong — and prejudiced”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2272531/Michael-Gove-Denying-gay-men-women-wrong.html#axzz2Jqi63O4Z