The statement below was issued by Lambeth Palace today.
Statement from Lambeth Palace
04/12/2024
With the gracious agreement of HM The King, Archbishop Justin’s last day in post as the Archbishop of Canterbury will be on the Feast of the Epiphany, 6th January 2025. From that date, his primatial functions will be delegated, mainly to the Archbishop of York, his metropolitan functions to the Bishop of London and his diocesan functions to the Bishop of Dover.
This is more nuanced than the previous, no doubt extempore statement. What if the ++ of York ‘steps back’ in the mean time? Has there been a time where there was been no Primate of England and no Primate of All England?
Well there was a brief period in the mid 17th century where both sees were vacant.
I think during the Cromwellian Period when all Anglican Worship was banned in Britain and the Church of England was a proscribed Church under Cromwell. Jonathan
Being pedantic — the Church of England was not banned or proscribed during the Cromwellian period. Rather, episcopacy was abolished, and the Book of Common Prayer replaced. Episcopacy and the BCP were restored with the return of Charles II. But the Church of England continued through the period — many of the same incumbents continued in office for example.
Bray, it seems, has rarely been short of vicars.
And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The flock still need to be pastored. And if one thought that bishops were for the bene esse of the Church, rather than of the esse, then epsicopacy might not be a bridge to die on.
Good Anglican that I am, I’m inclined to think that the church needs both the stalwart defenders of principle and the flexible pastoralists.
I expect regardless of the circumstances that have led to the Resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury, given the way the Church of England does things, the Diocese of Canterbury or the Dean and Chapter or both will want to acknowledge his early Retirement and time in office and Service with some Kind of Liturgical Farewell and Presentation, whether that involves him appearing Vested and Robed at Evensong or a Eucharist on the Eve of his Retirement and formally laying down the Diocesan Crozier on the High Altar of the Cathedral, and mark his exit in a Gracious… Read more »
I would imagine he would want to spend as much time as possible at his house in France. He will as I understand it be limited to 180 days a Year I can’t see him getting either a peerage or PTO.
Surely if he wants to stay longer, he can get a visa. Unless the problem is from the side of the UK. My wife and I lived in France annually for five years, with a visa for that.
Justin Welby is not worthy of a liturgical farewell of any fashion in the Cathedral. He should just retire quietly.
I could never be described as one of Justin Welby’s greatest fans, but I do think you’re being a bit harsh. Even Tim Dakin had a valedictory Evensong.
Which Tim Dakin then took over in a nauseatingly arrogant fashion.
and, regarding future public ministry, +Tim prayed the Methodist Covenant Prayer as his final liturgical act after laying down his crozier: I am no longer my own but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, glorious and… Read more »
He was not meant to do this. He was meant to lay down his crozier silently. Instead he prayed this prayer, his voice seemingly overwhelmed with emotion, but then saying in his ordinary voice, “I am going to finish”, before carrying on with the emoting. Only he will know if it was genuine, but it came across as narcissistic, self-serving and arrogant – which is a pretty accurate description of his tenure in the office of Bishop of Winchester
I expect that the Bishop of London will consecrate the two new suffragans for Oxford and the new suffragan for Europe together.
Beyond the liturgical, does anyone believe that the Archbishop of Canterbury does much over the Christmas period? So is there any genuine impediment to an earlier date? I would like to have seen a date this side of Christmas.
Totally agree.
Does the ABC still do a TV new year message to the nation? If so that could be a tricky moment, though not totally without opportunity for penitence and renewal.
It’s already been confirmed that this won’t happen.
Welby won’t be conducting public Christmas services but spending time with his family, according to the i paper
Tricky moment indeed. It was yesterday in the House of Lords and +London seemed to have her head in her hands. He invoked pity for his diary secretary but not for the abused. Neither penitence nor renewal featured. Coverage has been poor so far and though it was briefly on the BBC website I can’t now find it. More evidence that the CofE struggles to be serious about the problem it has with safeguarding.
After his appalling, offensive speech in the Lords, yesterday, any commemoration of his flawed archi-episcopate should be erased. His total failure to reflect on the seriousness of the Smyth affair was not offensive, while his ill placed attempts at humour and embarrassment.
I started reading The Guardian description of his resignation speech just now
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/06/justin-welby-archbishop-of-canterbury-victims-of-abuse
but I coudn’t read any further than the ridiculous assertion:
he definitely knew about victims of John Smyth, a sadistic monster who he had once hugely admired
Nearly as bad as their assertion the other day that Christians believe any gay peple will go to hell.
Note – overall his resignation speech was a disaster, why does somebody whom, I assume used to be decent, become so entrapped they end up monstrously? ‘technically’ ?????? I taught at the same school as him in Kenya under the CMS Youth Service abroad scheme, kiburu secondary school, and we were also both at Enterprise Oil in the early 1990’s. he refers to kiburu secondary school as a ‘bush school’. It was nothing of the kind. It was situated in a very populous and fertile area, two crops of maize each year. I think it has changed a bit since… Read more »
“May his name be forgotten”
I am interested in this. Does this mean that God judges us solely on the basis of our greatest misdeeds and that our greatest misdeeds (which may be different in our eyes and God’s eyes) are what totally defines us in God’s eyes?
The retiring Primate in his valedictory oratory in the Upper House spoke of God laughing. I imagine in his eyes God wept as did his Son. Noting that male prelates on the bench above appeared to laugh, did Sarah laugh?
should have omitted the NOT before offensive
The Bishop of London’s posture and face as she listened said it all
I realise that, in the light of a further apology today from Welby, my comments might be rather tardy as they relate to his egregious speech in the House of Lords yesterday. A therapist would have an interesting time with him, and it. That he’s avoidant in his relationship to the terrible wounding mess caused by Smyth (and others) is an understatement. Deflected aggression was present in his reference to the beheading of Bishop Simon of Sudbury. Who are the ‘revolting peasants’ for him at this time I wonder? (The adjective ‘revolting’ being used pejoratively in this case rather than… Read more »