Archbishop of Canterbury awards Lambeth Degrees
Tuesday 6th July 2004
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is to award six Lambeth Degrees this autumn.The Lambeth Degree is a real academic award. The candidates are exempted from the requirement to sit an examination: the awards are made on merit in recognition of their contribution to religious, academic and public life.
Lambeth degrees can be awarded in Divinity, Law, Arts, Literature, Medicine and Music.
The Archbishop will preside over a ceremony at Lambeth Palace on Tuesday 7th September when the degrees will be awarded.
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.
Those to be awarded degrees are:
The Revd Marcus Braybrooke
DD: In recognition of his contribution to the development of inter-religious co-operation and understanding throughout the world.
The Rt. Revd David Stancliffe
DD: In recognition of his contribution as Chairman of the Liturgical Commission and in particular for his work on Common Worship.
Dr. David Shaw
DLitt: In recognition of his work as Editor-in-Chief of the Cathedral Libraries Catalogue for over 20 years and for bringing successfully to completion work begun in 1943.
The Revd Canon John Foskett
MA: In recognition of his contribution to the better understanding of the relationship between pastoral care, mental health and spirituality and the advancement of understanding between religion and psychiatry.
The Right Revd Kenneth Gill
MA: In recognition of his ministry both in the Methodist and Anglican Church and for his service to the Church of South India and later in the Diocese of Newcastle.
Mr John Wilkins
MA: In recognition of his editorship of 'The Tablet' for over 20 years and his subsequent contribution to religious journalism in Britain.