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Justin Welby


Justin Welby

Official portrait, 2019
ChurchChurch of England
ProvinceCanterbury
DioceseCanterbury
Elected4 February 2013
Installed21 March 2013
Term ended6 January 2025
PredecessorRowan Williams
SuccessorVacant
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination1992 (deacon)
1993 (priest)
by Simon Barrington-Ward
Consecration28 October 2011
by John Sentamu
Personal details
Born
Justin Portal Welby

(1956-01-06) 6 January 1956 (age 69)
Hammersmith, London, England
DenominationChurch of England
Residence
Parents
SpouseCaroline Eaton
Children6[1]
EducationEton College
Alma mater
SignatureJustin Welby's signature
Coat of armsJustin Welby's coat of arms
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Spiritual
In office
26 February 2013 – 6 January 2025[2]
Ordination history
History
Diaconal ordination
Ordained bySimon Barrington-Ward
Date28 June 1992
PlaceCoventry Cathedral
Priestly ordination
Ordained bySimon Barrington-Ward
Date27 June 1993
PlaceCoventry Cathedral
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated byJohn Sentamu
Date28 October 2011
PlaceYork Minster

Justin Portal Welby GCVO (born 6 January 1956) is an Anglican bishop who served as the 105th archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England from 2013 to 2025.[3]

After an 11-year career in the oil industry, Welby trained for ordination at St John's College, Durham. He served in a number of parish churches before becoming dean of Liverpool in 2007 and bishop of Durham in 2011, serving in the latter role for just over a year before succeeding Rowan Williams as archbishop of Canterbury in February 2013.[4][5]

As archbishop, Welby officiated at a number of notable events, including the state funeral of Elizabeth II, the coronation of Charles III and Camilla, and the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. His tenure coincided with the ordination of the Church of England's first female bishop and the blessings for same-sex unions. Welby's theology is seen as representing the "open evangelical" tradition within Anglicanism.[6]

Welby resigned as archbishop in January 2025, following the publication of a report into the Church of England's handling of allegations of abuse committed by the barrister John Smyth that criticised Welby's failure to investigate the allegations.[7][8]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBCProfile was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/05/race-to-replace-justin-welby-begins-as-archbishop-formally-steps-down
  3. ^ Owen, Peter (4 December 2024). "Archbishop of Canterbury's resignation date confirmed". Thinking Anglicans.
  4. ^ "Justin Welby becomes Archbishop of Canterbury". BBC News. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  5. ^ "Diocese of Durham – New Bishop-Designate of Durham Announced". Durham Anglican. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Justin Welby set to become new Archbishop of Canterbury". BBC News. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  7. ^ "Justin Welby's final day as Archbishop of Canterbury". archbishopofcanterbury.org. 6 January 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  8. ^ Ahmed, Jabel (6 January 2025). "Justin Welby lays down archbishop's staff as Church of England urged to undergo 'complete reform'". The Independent. Retrieved 6 January 2025.

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