A new Canterbury tale | The Hindu

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Opinion Editorial
Published: March 23, 2013 00:45 IST | Updated: March 23, 2013 00:45 IST

A new Canterbury tale

The 105th Archbishop o !a"terbur#, $usti" %elb#, co&&e"ced his public &i"istr# i" a cere&o"# i" !a"terbur# !athedral o" March 21' the cere&o"# i"cluded A rica" da"ci"( a"d a Pu")abi cha"t* +or the irst ti&e i" the A"(lica" !hurch,s histor#, a -o&a", the .e"erable Sheila %atso", Archdeaco" o !a"terbur#, e"thro"ed the or&er /ishop o 0urha& as /ishop o !a"terbur#' he -as the" e"thro"ed a seco"d ti&e, as Archbishop* The "eArchbishop, a or&er oil e1ecuti2e, had held the 0urha& &issio" or u"der a #ear a"d a hal * 3e has 4"o-" perso"al tra(ed# a"d pai"* 3e a"d his -i e lost a bab# dau(hter a(ed se2e" -ee4s i" a car crash i" 1563, a"d his ather -as a" alcoholic* 3e has also bee" !o70irector o the !o2e"tr# !athedral7based I"ter"atio"al !e"tre or 8eco"ciliatio", -hich is acti2e i" &a"# co" lict areas* As a &e&ber o the Pri2# !ou"cil, he has alread# &ade his prese"ce elt b# supporti"( a" ope" letter ro& 43 bishops criticisi"( the /ritish (o2er"&e"t,s pla" to li&it i"creases i" state be"e its to -ell belo- the i" latio" rate' the cler(# ar(ue that 200,000 childre" could be orced i"to po2ert# thereb#, a"d hold that a ci2ilised societ# has a dut# to support the 2ul"erable* The Archbishop,s co&&it&e"ts o" this 4i"d o issue &a# ste& i" part ro& his e1perie"ce o the co"trast bet-ee" a -ell7paid )ob i" oil a"d a &odest li2i"( as a "e-l#7ordai"ed curate, a"d -ill reso"ate -ith &illio"s o /rito"s as the eco"o&ic slu&p co"ti"ues' he has said that $esus did "ot li2e i" a palace, a"d -hile o" the Parlia&e"tar# !o&&issio" o" /a"4i"( Sta"dards he &ade se2eral stro"( i"ter2e"tio"s* 3e has also -ritte" a boo4let o" co&pa"# accou"tabilit#* .arious other issues, ho-e2er, -ill be &uch thor"ier* +or e1a&ple, the bishops, ope" letter does "ot &a4e the poi"t that (ood )obs pa#i"( (ood -a(es are the best -a# to e"d po2ert# a"d depe"de"ce o" be"e its* Seco"dl#, 3is 9race is i" a2our o -o&e" bishops, a &atter o2er -hich the !hurch o :"(la"d is bitterl# di2ided* +urther&ore, he has stro"(l# opposed ho&ophobia but supports the church,s oppositio" to sa&e7se1 &arria(e, thou(h he reco("ises that &a"# sa&e7se1 relatio"ships e1press lasti"( lo2e a"d co&&it&e"t* It also re&ai"s to be see" ho- &uch i" lue"ce the Archbishop,s earlier i"2ol2e&e"t -ith a" e2a"(elical bra"ch o the church ; -hich has had so&e success i" re2i2i"( la((i"( church atte"da"ce ; -ill ha2e o" hi&* %hate2er else, as spiritual leader o the U"ited <i"(do&,s established church a"d a -orld-ide co&&u"io" o o2er 60 &illio", the "e- Archbishop -ill be 2er# &uch i" the &oral a"d political spotli(ht o2er al&ost a"# si("i ica"t public issue that arises* <e#-ords: $usti" %elb#, archbishop o !a"terbur#, A"(lica" !hurch
Pri"table 2ersio" | $u" 3, 2013 2:50:16 AM | http:==---*thehi"du*co&=opi"io"=editorial=a7"e-7ca"terbur#7tale=article4536645*ece > The 3i"du

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