The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is to award eight Lambeth Degrees this summer.
 
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 Thursday 13th July when the degrees will be awarded.

A list, together with the formal citations, is attached.

Notes for editors:

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 Professor Donald Allchin      
DD: In recognition of his ecumenical work, particularly in the relationship between Eastern Orthodoxy and the Western tradition and for his teaching and writings on spirituality. 

Rabbi Tony Bayfield    
DD: In recognition of his leadership in inter-Faith relations through lecturing, writing, teaching and in particular his work as a President of the Council of Christians and Jews.

The Revd Dr. George Lovell
DD: In recognition of his formative work as a teacher, writer, theologian, consultant to a range of churches and church agencies. 

The Rt Revd Peter Lee
BD: In recognition of his ministry in South Africa, for his scholarly book on the history of the Diocese of Johannesburg, and in establishing the new Diocese of Christ the King, originally part of that Diocese, as its first elected bishop.

Ms Madeleine Bunting
MLitt: In recognition of her journalistic writings on important social issues, on the place of Christian ideas and practice in modern life, and most recently on the need for deeper understanding and dialogue concerning the place of Muslims in Western society.

Miss Peggy Hartley
MA: In recognition of her dedicated lay service to the Church through diocesan social work, teaching at Lincoln Theological College and for considerable parish work. 

The Revd Malcolm Johnson
MA: In recognition of his long and extensive pastoral ministry generally and specifically to those on the margins of society, significantly the homeless and those with HIV and AIDS. 

Mr ErnestWarrell
MA: In recognition of over forty years' contribution to Church music through conducting, performing, running the choir of King's College London and training organ scholars and clergy in liturgical singing. 

Source: Archbishop's Press Office
www.archbishopofcanterbury.org