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Present roles and status

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Primate of All England" redirects here. For the Primate of England, see Archbishop of York.

For a list of archbishops, see List of archbishops of Canterbury.

Archbishop of Canterbury

Archbishopric

Anglican

Coat of arms of the

Arms of the diocese of Canterbury: Azure, an episcopal staff in pale or surmounted by a pall proper
edged and fringed of the second charged with four crosses pattée fitchée sable

Incumbent:

Justin Welby

since 4 February 2013

Style The Most Reverend and Right Honourable (otherwise His Grace)

Location

Ecclesiastical province Canterbury

Residence

Lambeth Palace
Old Palace

Information

First holder Augustine of Canterbury

Denomination Anglican

Established 597

DioceseCanterbury

Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral

Website

www.archbishopofcanterbury.org Edit this at Wikidata

Anglican Communion

Part of a series on Anglicanism

Organisation

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The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England,
the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of
Canterbury. Justin Welby was enthroned as archbishop of Canterbury at Canterbury Cathedral on 21
March 2013, and announced his resignation, to take effect at a later date, in November 2024.[1]
Welby is the 105th person to hold the position, as part of a line of succession going back to
Augustine of Canterbury, the "Apostle to the English", who was sent to England by Pope Gregory the
Great and arrived in 597.[2]

From the time of Augustine until the sixteenth century, the archbishops of Canterbury were in full
communion with the Roman Catholic Church and usually received the pallium from the Pope. During
the English Reformation, King Henry VIII broke communion with Rome and became the head of the
church. Thomas Cranmer, appointed in 1533, was the first Protestant archbishop of Canterbury and
would become one of the most important figures in the development of Anglicanism.

The archbishop is appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the prime minister of the United
Kingdom, however in practice candidates are chosen by the Crown Nominations Commission, a
Church of England body.[3][4]

Present roles and status

Currently the archbishop fills four main roles:[5]

bishop of the diocese of Canterbury, which covers the eastern parts of the County of Kent. Founded
in 597, it is the oldest see in the English church.

metropolitan archbishop of the province of Canterbury, which covers the southern two-thirds of
England.

the senior primate and chief religious figure of the Church of England (the British sovereign is the
supreme governor of the church). Along with his colleague the archbishop of York he chairs the
General Synod and sits on or chairs many of the church's important boards and committees; power
in the church is not highly centralised, however, so the two archbishops can often lead only through
persuasion. The archbishop of Canterbury plays a central part in national ceremonies such as
coronations; due to his high public profile, his opinions are often in demand by the news media.

spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion. The archbishop, although without legal authority
outside England, is recognised by convention as primus inter pares ("first among equals") of all
Anglican primates worldwide. Since 1867 the archbishop has convened more or less decennial
meetings of worldwide Anglican bishops, the Lambeth Conferences.

In the last two of these functions, he has an important ecumenical and interfaith role, speaking on
behalf of Anglicans in England and worldwide.

The archbishop's main residence is Lambeth Palace in the London Borough of Lambeth. He also has
lodgings in the Old Palace, Canterbury, located beside Canterbury Cathedral, where the Chair of St
Augustine sits.
As holder of one of the "five great sees" (the others being York, London, Durham and Winchester),
the archbishop of Canterbury is ex officio one of the Lords Spiritual of the House of Lords. He is one
of the highest-ranking men in England and the highest ranking non-royal in the United Kingdom's
order of precedence.

Since Henry VIII broke with Rome, the archbishops of Canterbury have been selected by the English
(British since the Act of Union in 1707) monarch. Since the 20th century, the appointment of
archbishops of Canterbury conventionally alternates between Anglo-Catholics and Evangelicals.[6]

The most recent archbishop, Justin Welby is the 105th holder of the office. He was enthroned at
Canterbury Cathedral on 4 February 2013. As archbishop he signs himself as + Justin Cantuar. On 12
November 2024 he announced his decision to resign.[7]

There are currently two other living former archbishops: George Carey (born 1935), the 103rd
archbishop; and Rowan Williams (born 1950), the 104th archbishop.

Additional roles

In addition to his office, the archbishop holds a number of other positions; for example, he is joint
president of the Council of Christians and Jews in the United Kingdom. Some positions he formally
holds ex officio and others virtually so (the incumbent of the day, although appointed personally, is
appointed because of his office). Amongst these are:[8]

Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University[9]

Visitor for the following academic institutions:

All Souls College, Oxford

Selwyn College, Cambridge

Merton College, Oxford

Keble College, Oxford

Ridley Hall, Cambridge

The University of Kent (main campus located in Canterbury)

King's College London

University of King's College

Sutton Valence School

Benenden School

Cranbrook School
Haileybury and Imperial Service College

Harrow School

King's College School, Wimbledon

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