Archbishop of Canterbury Awards Lambeth Degree to Rabbi Tony Bayfield
Wednesday 1st November 2006
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, today presided over a Lambeth Degree award ceremony in the Guard Room at Lambeth Palace. On this occasion he awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity to Rabbi Tony Bayfield, in recognition of his leadership in inter faith relations through lecturing, writing, teaching and in particular his work as a President of the Council of Christians and Jews.The Lambeth Degree is a real academic award. The candidates are exempt from both residential and examination requirements and the special awards are made on merit in recognition of the recipient's contribution to religious, academic and public life.
The Archbishop of Canterbury's right to grant degrees is derived from Peter's Pence Act of 1533 which empowered the Archbishop to grant dispensations previously granted by the Pope. The practice began during the time when attendance at Oxford and Cambridge, the only universities at that time in England, was frequently disrupted by the difficulty of travel or outbreaks of the plague. The Archbishop was empowered to grant exemption from the residential requirements necessary for a degree.
Lambeth degrees can be awarded in Divinity, Law, Arts, Literature, Medicine and Music.
Read more about the Archbishop's Awards and Examinations.