Updated Friday
Press release from Oxford University:
Six leading figures from the worlds of science, the arts and religion are set to receive honorary degrees from the University of Oxford this year, subject to approval by Congregation.
The degrees will be awarded at Encaenia, the University’s annual honorary degree ceremony, on Wednesday 25 June 2014.
Degree of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa:
The Most Reverend Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori, PhD, is Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and 16 other nations. Over the course of her nine-year term, Bishop Jefferts Schori is responsible for initiating and developing policy for the Episcopal Church and speaks on behalf of the church regarding the policies, strategies and programmes authorised by General Convention. Bishop Jefferts Schori’s studies for the priesthood, to which she was ordained in 1994, were preceded by her career as an oceanographer. She holds a BSc in biology from Stanford University, an MSc and PhD in oceanography from Oregon State University, an MDiv from Church Divinity School of the Pacific, and several honorary doctoral degrees…
Update Lambeth Palace has issued this:
Archbishop congratulates Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori on honorary Oxford degree
Friday 7th February 2014
Archbishop Justin has welcomed news that the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, is to be awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity by the University of Oxford
Archbishop Justin said: “I am delighted by the news that the Most Revd Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori is to receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity from the University of Oxford. This award, richly deserved, reaffirms Bishop Katharine’s remarkable gifts of intellect and compassion, which she has dedicated to the service of Christ.
“Prior to becoming ordained, Bishop Katharine pursued a career in oceanography, and her enduring deep commitment to the environment has evolved into a profound dedication to stewardship of our planet and humankind, especially in relieving poverty and extending the love and hospitality of Christ to those on the edges of society. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said of Bishop Katharine, ‘In her version of reality, everything is sacred except sin.’
“It must be noted, too, that Bishop Katharine’s achievements serve – and will continue to serve – as a powerful model for women seeking to pursue their vocations in the church.”
Wonderful news. Richly deserved.
She is such an inspiration to many of us.
Bravo for our pastor!
Just compensation for the humiliation inflicted in mitre-gate.
Congratulations and Mazel Tov to PB Katharine Jefferts Schori.
This is well deserved.
The first female Presiding Bishop of the American Episcopal Church is awarded an Honorary Doctorate but the first female British Prime Minister was not so fortunate in being similarly honoured by Oxford University.
American usage: awesome! British usage: brilliant!
Well deserved for ability and willingness to preach the Gospel of loving all our neighbors.
I have not been overly impressed by this bishop nor her immediate predecessor. Far too willing to follow the Rowan Williams agenda. I have always thought her theological skills somewhat deficient and I think she could have done a better job of the revision of the canons. Some very poor decisions on dealing with the rebels, leaving her look very illiberal. Having said that, and leaving out a raft of other complaints as she is going, I hope she has a wonderful day at Oxford ….. and let’s look forward to her replacement. Does anyone know who is in the… Read more »
Kudos, Congrats and Blessings to Our ++KJS. <3
I don’t think Mrs. Thatcher would have borne the calumnies and humiliations heaped upon Bishop Jefferts-Schori by other Anglican bishops with nearly as much grace and forbearance.
Kudos to our Presiding Bishop!
What a wonderful tribute to the Presiding Bishop of TEC! For her tenacity in confronting sexism and homophobia in her own Church, and in the Churches of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Katharine is a deserving candidate for this prestigious honour, bestowed by the venerable University of Oxford.
Brava, Bishop Katharine, and Bravo/a, T.E.C.
Re: Father David: Well, it does speak to their respective values. One started as an academic, and the other really didn’t see a lot of value in them.
I know of only one female British PM and, having slashed university budgets, she would hardly have been an appropriate candidate!
Father David, maybe the clue to the difference lies in the Oxford Uni Motto – DOMINUS ILLUMINATIO MEA. Is that a claim that Mrs Thatcher could convincingly make?
The reason the PB gets a DD from Oxford is because the average Oxford Don doesn’t loathe her the way they loathed Maggie for wrecking tertiary education and causing social suffering. And who can blame them?
Perhaps ‘the Oxford dons’ actually have more respect for Bishop Katharine – and women clergy in general – than some of the English Bishops. Let’s hope that culture changes before too long.
Even in those days (much worse now, of course), Oxford was awarding honorary degress to some pretty rum characters, so the rejection of Maggie (and I’m not a fan) was not particularly principled. Of course, academics do like posturing.
Perhaps if the first female prime minister didn’t have so much blood on her hands Oxford wouldn’t have to worry about her ruining their reputation.
There we have it. pro choice, pro gay,pro divorce/ re-marriage , disbelieving in the exclusivity of the Christian claims ( i.e the one true religion)…..a doctorate from Oxford, well done.
However she has at least stood up to the organised theft campaign of ACNA and associates.
At least you know where you stand with Bishop Katherine, unlike Rowan Williams..running with the hare and the hounds.
So much better than being a Canterbury Six Preacher.
Isn’t it amazing how even after her demise that former Methodist turned Anglican – the Iron Lady can still produce such strong reactions?
We had an interesting glance at the character of Bishop Katherine at our church in Seattle a few years ago: she was in town for some business meeting, and simply showed up for the 8 o’clock service unannounced, slipping into a back pew moments before the service began. She afterwards came to coffee hour* equally unannounced, chatted with various people, and left – and almost no one knew who she was. (Our Church Bore managed to buttonhole her for ten minutes, utterly unaware who she was… ) * One of the two non-canonical sacraments in the Episcopal Church, the other… Read more »
“Isn’t it amazing how even after her demise that former Methodist turned Anglican – the Iron Lady can still produce such strong reactions?”
Yeah, it’s like people’s evil deeds are remembered after they die. How shocking. Too bad she couldn’t be remembered for doing good, but then she never actually did anything good.
Of course, academics do like posturing.’
Well, you would know.
Thank you Nathaniel Brown for this, it is good to know.
It is consistent with what I have heard of her and of her own teaching and approach.
If Oxford University snubbed Lady Thatcher at least the Established Church ( once aka as “the Tory Party at Prayer”) honoured her memory by giving her “a good send off”! I seem to remember a bit of a do at St. Paul’s cathedral which was little short of. State Funeral, the likes of which we haven’t seen since Winston’s departure.
“I seem to remember a bit of a do at St. Paul’s cathedral which was little short of. State Funeral, the likes of which we haven’t seen since Winston’s departure.”
Except that I don’t remember anyone singing “Ding Dong The Witch is Dead” on the day of Sir Winston’s funeral.
Stephen,
Part of the point of my remark.
Hmmmmm …….. The thread seems to have been hijacked…..
But as a matter of interest the Welsh coal miner side of my family hated both Thatcher and Churchill and for much the same reason. So, as I recall there was a distinct lack of sharing in the national mood when Winston died and some definitely felt better, now that he’s gone …. I just can’t thing of a suitable song, though ……
I didn’t like most of Margaret Thatcher’s policies, but I still hope and pray she died in a state of grace.
Furthermore I feel her university, should have honoured her achievement of being the first British Woman prime minister. However they decided to be small minded instead.
However what really counts is when we are judged by God.
Delighted to see Bp Jefferts Schori honoured by Oxford and with warm words from Canterbury. C of E needs the firmest relationship with her church, a Christian one, when the bishops of Nigeria and Uganda are selling out on the gospel in favour of lynch mobs.
Now here’s a thought – of some relevance to other threads about female Deans and Episcopal Appointment processes,
PB Katharine turns 60 next month, so at the end of her term she will be extraordinarily young to be “retired” or “unemployed” or “redundant”. Wouldn’t she be a breath of fresh air as Bishop of Gloucester, or of one of the other vacant dioceses in the C of E? I expect there would be a way of fast-tracking British citizenship if those concerned, (not least +Katharine herself!) thought it was a good idea.
Time: Is belief in Jesus the only way to get to heaven?
Schori: We who practice the Christian tradition understand him as our vehicle to the divine. But for us to assume that God could not act in other ways is, I think, to put God in an awfully small box.
Jesus: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me
Says it all really…