THE SEE OF CANTERBURY
Canterbury Cathedral-England
The See of Canterbury, England and its Archbishop are central historic figures and symbols of Anglican heritage. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury.
On 9th November 2012, Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, was named as the successor to Archbishop Rowan Williams who stepped down from the position of Archbishop of Canterbury on 31st December 2012. Bishop Justin officially became Archbishop of Canterbury at a legal ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral on 4th February 2013, and his public ministry was inaugurated at Canterbury Cathedral on 21st March 2013. He is the 105th in a line which goes back more than 1400 years to Saint Augustine of Canterbury, the 'Apostle to the English'.
Although organizationally independent of the Church of England, the Progressive Episcopal Church, firmly embracing our historic Anglican heritage and traditions, respects the Archbishop of Canterbury as Primus inter pares (a Latin phrase meaning 'First among equals') because of the historical significance of the episcopal See of Canterbury since its founding in 597 CE.
In modern times, a series of voluntary meetings, particularly the Lambeth Conference (established in 1867), the Consultative Council (founded in 1971) and the Primate's Meeting (started in 1979), serve as instruments of communion for some Anglican bishops and their communities. Because these meetings possess no legal or ecclesiastical authority, and because Anglican identity is not based on the attendance of meetings, not all Anglican bishops or communities participate in them.
In the historic spirit of Anglican autonomy and in faithfulness to the all inclusive and liberating nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Progressive Episcopal Church, together with many other Anglican communities, does not officially participate in these meetings and does not necessarily embrace all resolutions, 'covenants' or statements they publish.
On 9th November 2012, Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, was named as the successor to Archbishop Rowan Williams who stepped down from the position of Archbishop of Canterbury on 31st December 2012. Bishop Justin officially became Archbishop of Canterbury at a legal ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral on 4th February 2013, and his public ministry was inaugurated at Canterbury Cathedral on 21st March 2013. He is the 105th in a line which goes back more than 1400 years to Saint Augustine of Canterbury, the 'Apostle to the English'.
Although organizationally independent of the Church of England, the Progressive Episcopal Church, firmly embracing our historic Anglican heritage and traditions, respects the Archbishop of Canterbury as Primus inter pares (a Latin phrase meaning 'First among equals') because of the historical significance of the episcopal See of Canterbury since its founding in 597 CE.
In modern times, a series of voluntary meetings, particularly the Lambeth Conference (established in 1867), the Consultative Council (founded in 1971) and the Primate's Meeting (started in 1979), serve as instruments of communion for some Anglican bishops and their communities. Because these meetings possess no legal or ecclesiastical authority, and because Anglican identity is not based on the attendance of meetings, not all Anglican bishops or communities participate in them.
In the historic spirit of Anglican autonomy and in faithfulness to the all inclusive and liberating nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Progressive Episcopal Church, together with many other Anglican communities, does not officially participate in these meetings and does not necessarily embrace all resolutions, 'covenants' or statements they publish.