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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 today.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Enthronement on 21
March
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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.
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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.
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