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Justin Welby to be next archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby confirmed as next archbishop of Canterbury
(about 17 hours later)
Justin Welby, a former oil executive who was made a bishop just over a year ago, is to be the next leader of the Church of England and spiritual figurehead of the global Anglican Communion. Justin Welby, a former oil executive who was made a bishop just over a year ago, has been appointed the next leader of the Church of England, Downing Street confirmed on Friday morning.
A press conference at Lambeth Palace on Friday will end weeks of uncertainty surrounding the appointment of Rowan Williams's successor as archbishop of Canterbury, and announce that the 56-year-old bishop of Durham will be the 105th man to sit on the throne of St Augustine. A statement on the website of the prime minister's office said the Queen had nominated Welby. A press conference at Lambeth Palace is taking place to announce that the 56-year-old bishop of Durham will be the 105th man to sit on the throne of Saint Augustine, succeeding Rowan Williams
Sources confirmed that Welby's name was passed to Downing Street by the secretive crown nominations commission this week after months of deliberation by the 16-member panel. It had to be approved by the Queen before being made public. Welby will be enthroned as archbishop of Canterbury in Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March 2013. He said: "To be nominated to this post is both astonishing and exciting. It is something I never expected, and the last few weeks have been a very strange experience.
"I am not able to comment; only Lambeth Palace can," said Welby, when asked in Westminster about the appointment on Thursday. He laughed when congratulated by a passing policeman. "It is exciting because we are at one of those rare points where the tide of events is turning, and the church nationally, including the Church of England has great opportunities to match its very great but often hidden strengths.
Welby, an evangelical, is a supporter of women bishops. He is also, like the prime minister and the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, an old Etonian. "I feel a massive sense of privilege at being one of those responsible for the leadership of the church in a time of spiritual hunger, when our network of parishes and churches and schools and above all people means that we are facing the toughest issues in the toughest place."
The secretive selection process, which led to furious speculation in the media about which of a handful of candidates was emerging as favourite, led to calls for it to be made more open and transparent. Williams said on Friday: "I am delighted at the appointment of the Right Reverend Justin Welby to Canterbury. I have had the privilege of working closely with him on various occasions and have always been enriched and encouraged by the experience.
"He has an extraordinary range of skills and is a person of grace, patience, wisdom and humour; he will bring to this office both a rich pastoral experience and a keen sense of international priorities, for church and world. I wish him - with Caroline and the family - every blessing, and hope that the church of England and the Anglican communion will share my pleasure at this appointment and support him with prayer and love."
Welby, an evangelical, is a supporter of female bishops. He is also, like the prime minister and the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, an old Etonian.
Welby's name was passed to Downing Street by the secretive crown nominations commission this week after months of deliberation by the 16-member panel. It had to be approved by the Queen before being made public.
The selection process led to furious speculation in the media about which of a handful of candidates was emerging as favourite, led to calls for it to be made more open and transparent.
The Church, for its part, insists that the CNC is a "prayerful body" which deserved to do the business of choosing Williams's successor in private.The Church, for its part, insists that the CNC is a "prayerful body" which deserved to do the business of choosing Williams's successor in private.
While many observers were waiting for the official nod from Lambeth before giving their reaction to the appointment, others were already keen to express their support for Welby, who has strong backing from evangelicals as well as others who admire his unusual profile. Some observers have already expressed their support for Welby, who has strong backing from evangelicals as well as others who admire his unusual profile.
"He is certainly a risk-taker; he's very visionary and strategic, and extremely astute," said Christina Rees, a member of the General Synod. "Put that together with a man absolutely grounded in his faith … and you get a very exciting proposition for archbishop of Canterbury.""He is certainly a risk-taker; he's very visionary and strategic, and extremely astute," said Christina Rees, a member of the General Synod. "Put that together with a man absolutely grounded in his faith … and you get a very exciting proposition for archbishop of Canterbury."
Rees, a prominent campaigner for women bishops, said that Welby's reputation as an enthusiastic supporter of that cause gave her added hope ahead of a knife-edge vote in 10 days' time. Twenty years after it decided to allow women to enter the priesthood, the synod faces a vote on 20 Novemberon whether to permit them entry to the episcopate. Rees, a prominent campaigner for women bishops, said that Welby's reputation as an enthusiastic supporter of that cause gave her added hope ahead of a knife-edge vote in 10 days' time. Twenty years after it decided to allow women to enter the priesthood, the synod faces a vote on 20 November on whether to permit them entry to the episcopate.
Welby's stance on another divisive issue in the Church – gay clergy and gay marriage – is thought to be more in keeping with his conservative roots. He has defended the Church's strongly-worded response to the government's consultation on same-sex marriage.Welby's stance on another divisive issue in the Church – gay clergy and gay marriage – is thought to be more in keeping with his conservative roots. He has defended the Church's strongly-worded response to the government's consultation on same-sex marriage.
Colin Coward, a gay priest and head of campaign group Changing Attitude, said he hoped Welby would bring his "ethical experience" to bear in his work on gay issues. "Changing Attitude welcomes his appointment [and] prays that he … has the wisdom to bring his ethical experience into his engagement with the House of Bishops when matters affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, lay and ordained, are considered in the coming months," he said.Colin Coward, a gay priest and head of campaign group Changing Attitude, said he hoped Welby would bring his "ethical experience" to bear in his work on gay issues. "Changing Attitude welcomes his appointment [and] prays that he … has the wisdom to bring his ethical experience into his engagement with the House of Bishops when matters affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, lay and ordained, are considered in the coming months," he said.
Reflecting Welby's unusual career background, congratulations also came in from outside the Church. Andrew Tyrie, a Tory MP and chairman of the parliamentary commission on banking standards, of which Welby is a committee member, said: "If reports are correct, I heartily congratulate Justin. Justin is making an outstanding contribution to our work. He is a man of the cloth with considerable experience of industry and finance."Reflecting Welby's unusual career background, congratulations also came in from outside the Church. Andrew Tyrie, a Tory MP and chairman of the parliamentary commission on banking standards, of which Welby is a committee member, said: "If reports are correct, I heartily congratulate Justin. Justin is making an outstanding contribution to our work. He is a man of the cloth with considerable experience of industry and finance."
Over the months of the CNC's work, Welby is understood to have gone from rank outsider due to his relative lack of clerical experience to frontrunner. In doing so, he passed other, more established candidates such as John Sentamu, the archbishop of York, Graham James, the bishop of Norwich; and James Jones, the bishop of Liverpool.Over the months of the CNC's work, Welby is understood to have gone from rank outsider due to his relative lack of clerical experience to frontrunner. In doing so, he passed other, more established candidates such as John Sentamu, the archbishop of York, Graham James, the bishop of Norwich; and James Jones, the bishop of Liverpool.
Welby was educated at Cambridge but is known for his self-deprecating style and told the Guardian earlier this year that he was "one of the thicker bishops" in the Church. The CNC decided otherwise.Welby was educated at Cambridge but is known for his self-deprecating style and told the Guardian earlier this year that he was "one of the thicker bishops" in the Church. The CNC decided otherwise.
Although only consecrated as a bishop in October last year and enthroned the following month, he was deemed to have such impressive credentials – including experience in conflict resolution and a much valued ability to "talk human" – that the panel decided he was its preferred option.Although only consecrated as a bishop in October last year and enthroned the following month, he was deemed to have such impressive credentials – including experience in conflict resolution and a much valued ability to "talk human" – that the panel decided he was its preferred option.
A passionate Francophile who lived in Paris for part of the the 1980s while working for the oil company Elf Aquitaine, Welby became treasurer at Enterprise Oil before informing his employers that he was giving up his large salary – reported to have been in six-figures – to train as a priest. He then rose swiftly through the ranks of the church, becoming dean of Liverpool in December 2007.A passionate Francophile who lived in Paris for part of the the 1980s while working for the oil company Elf Aquitaine, Welby became treasurer at Enterprise Oil before informing his employers that he was giving up his large salary – reported to have been in six-figures – to train as a priest. He then rose swiftly through the ranks of the church, becoming dean of Liverpool in December 2007.
His family history is also nothing if not colourful: his father traded in whisky during US prohibition, while his mother, a relation of Rab Butler, the erstwhile Tory grandee, was Winston Churchill's private secretary.His family history is also nothing if not colourful: his father traded in whisky during US prohibition, while his mother, a relation of Rab Butler, the erstwhile Tory grandee, was Winston Churchill's private secretary.