| The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion, outranking the other English archbishop, the Archbishop of York. His episcopal see is the Diocese of Canterbury and his episcopal chair ('cathedra') is at Canterbury Cathedral. He functions as the Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and as the Primate of All England. His see is considered one of the "five
great sees," the others being York, London, Durham and Winchester. His diocese covers Eastern Kent. Like the incumbents
of the other "great sees," the Archbishop of Canterbury is, ex officio, a member of the House of Lords.
Since Henry VIII broke with Rome the
Archbishops of Canterbury have been selected by the English (latterly British) monarch. These days the choice is made in his or
her name by the prime minister, from a shortlist of two selected by a committee of clergy and laity.
The current Archbishop of Canterbury, the 104th, is the Most Reverend
Rowan Douglas Williams, previously Archbishop of Wales. Dr Williams succeeded Dr George Leonard Carey in 2003.
History
The first Archbishop of Canterbury was the Roman Catholic Saint
Augustine, who arrived in Kent in 597. He was appointed by King Ethelbert, on his conversion to
Christianity, about the year 598. The Archbishops of Canterbury since have been referred to as occupying the Chair of St Augustine. All the Archbishops of Canterbury until the 16
century were Catholics, and since the schism of the Church Of England from Rome, they have subsequently all been Anglicans. In
fact the Archbishop of Canterbury is now the primate of the Church of England.
Before the invasion of England by the Saxons, the Christian Britons had three
Archbishops, seated in London, York, and Caerleon, an ancient city of South Wales. The Archbishop of London became extinct when the
Britons were driven out of eastern and southern Great Britain. When Pope
Gregory the Great sent Augustine to convert the Saxons, the
archbishopric was located at Canterbury, which was the capital of the Kingdom of Kent. King Ethelbert was baptised at Canterbury, and embraced the doctrines of Christianity
before the rest of the Heptarchy. The Archbishopic of Caerleon was relocated to
St. David's in Pembrokeshire, and was later absorbed into the See of Canterbury.
Diocese
The Diocese of Canterbury encompasses Eastern Kent. Canterbury Cathedral is one of the largest and oldest religious edifices in England, having been
erected during the twelfth century. The archbishop's jurisdiction over
Canterbury matches that of other bishops in their dioceses; however, as the archbishop he has numerous other important functions
involving the entire Church of England, some of his duties relating to Canterbury are discharged by another bishop, known as the
"Bishop in Canterbury".
There are four suffragan bishops attached to the diocese: they are the Bishop of
Dover, the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Bishop of Maidstone and the Bishop of Richborough. The post of Bishop in Canterbury is
normally exercised by the Bishop of Dover. The names of current holders (2004) are included here (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199697/cmhansrd/vo970121/text/70121w17.htm)]
Province
The Archbishop of Canterbury exercises metropolitical (or supervisory) jurisdiction over the Province of Canterbury, which encompasses thirty of the
forty-four dioceses of the Church of England. (The remaining fourteen dioceses, in northern England, fall within the Province of
York.) Formerly, the four dioceses of Wales were also under the Province of Canterbury; in 1920, however, the Welsh dioceses transferred from the established Church of England to the disestablished Church in Wales.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has a ceremonial provincial curia, or court, consisting of some of the senior bishops of
his province. The Bishop of London—the most senior cleric of the Church with the exception of the two
Archbishops—serves as Canterbury's Provincial Dean, the Bishop of Winchester as Chancellor, the Bishop of Lincoln as Vice-Chancellor, the Bishop of Salisbury as Precentor, the Bishop of Worcestor as Chaplain and the Bishop of Rochester as Cross-Bearer.
The question of whether the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Archbishop of York should take precedence was once a cause of a
long struggle. The dispute was temporarily resolved in 1071 after Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas of Bayeaux, Archbishop of York, submitted the matter to the Pope. Pope Alexander II decided that Canterbury
was to have precedence, and that future Archbishops of York would have to be consecrated by, and swear allegiance to, the
Archbishop of Canterbury.
In 1119, however, the Archbishop-Elect of York, Thurstan, refused to acknowledge the pre-eminence of Canterbury. As a consequence, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
Ralph d'Escures, refused to consecrate him. When Thurstan appealed
to Rome, Pope Callixtus II not only personally consecrated him,
but also issued a papal bull repudiating the supremacy of Canterbury. The
matter was finally settled by Pope Innocent VI during the
fourteenth century. Under Pope Innocent's arrangement, which lasts to this day, the Archbishop of Canterbury would be recognised
as superior to the Archbishop of York. The former would be acknowledged as "Primate of All England", and the latter as "Primate
of England". The pre-eminence of the Archbishop of Canterbury is acknowledged by an Act of Parliament passed during the reign of
Henry VIII.
The Archbishop of Canterbury also has a precedence of honour over the other archbishops of the Anglican Communion. He is
recognised as primus inter pares, or first amongst equals. The Archbishop of Canterbury, however, does not exercise any
direct authority in the provinces outside England.
Style and privileges
The Archbishop of Canterbury is entitled to the style "The Most Reverend"; retired Archbishops use "The Right Reverend".
Archbishops are, by convention, appointed to the Privy Council, and may
therefore also use "The Right Honourable" for life. In
formal documents, the Archbishop of Canterbury is referred to as "The Most Reverend Father in God, [Forenames], by Divine
Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan". In debates in the House of Lords, the
Archbishop is referred to as "The Most Reverend Primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury". "The Right Honourable" is not used in
either instance. He may also be formally addressed as "Your Grace" - or, more often these days, simply as "Archbishop", "Father"
or "Dr Williams" (in the current instance).
The surname of the Archbishop of Canterbury is not used in formal documents; only the forenames and see are mentioned. The
Archbishop is legally permitted to sign his name as "Cantuar" (from the Latin for
Canterbury). He shares the right to use only a title in the signature with the Archbishop of York, other bishops and Peers of the
Realm.
In the order of precedence,
the Archbishop of Canterbury is ranked above all individuals in the realm, with the exception of the Sovereign and Royal Family.
Immediately below him is the Lord Chancellor, and only then comes the
Archbishop of York.
The Archbishop of Canterbury's official residence in London is Lambeth
Palace. The following Archbishops have died there: Wittlesey, in 1375; Kemp, 1453; Dean, 1504; all buried in Canterbury
Cathedral: Cardinal Pole, 1558, after lying in state here 40 days was buried at Canterbury; Parker, 1575, buried in Lambeth
Chapel; Whitgift, 1604, buried at Croydon; Bancroft, 1610, buried at Lambeth; Juxon, 1663, buried in the chapel of St. John's
College, Oxford; Sheldon, 1667, buried at Croydon; Tillotson, 1694, buried in the church of St. Laurence Jewry, London; Tennison,
1715; and Potter, 1747, both buried at Croydon; Seeker, 1768; Cornwallis, 1783, and Moore, 1805, all buried at Lambeth. In 1381,
the Archbishop, Simon of Sudbury, fell a victim to Wat Tyler and his followers, when they attacked Lambeth Palace.
External links
|
