Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the religious leader of the Church of England and the symbolic head of the Anglican Communion worldwide. The post has been in continuous occupation since AD 597, when Augustine of Canterbury, the "Apostle to the English" was appointed to lead missionary efforts to Britain by Pope Gregory the Great. As of 2014, Justin Welby is the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury. Paper Masters can compose for you a custom written research paper on Archbishop of Canterbury that suites your needs.

Archbishop of Canterbury

and the Church

From AD 597 through the 16th century, the Archbishop of Canterbury was the leading representative of the Roman Catholic Church in England. Thomas Beckett was the Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry II. During the reign of Henry VIII, that monarch broke with the Catholic Church over matters relating to his desire to divorce his wife. Henry established the English Catholic Church, which later became the Church of England during the rule of Elizabeth I. While the English monarch is the head of the church, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the leading clergyman.

Along with the Archbishop of York, the Archbishop of Canterbury chairs the General Synod of the Church of England and plays an important role in many English ceremonies, including:

• Coronations
• Spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion
• Convening decennial meetings

As the recognized leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, he is frequently called upon to speak regarding ecumenical and interfaith issues. The Archbishop of Canterbury resides at Lambeth Palace, outside of London.