Diocese of Canterbury
{{Short description|Diocese of the Church of England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction = Diocese
| name = Canterbury
| latin = Dioecesis Cantuariensis
| coat = Archbishop of Canterbury arms.svg
| coat_size = 150px
| flag = Flag of the Anglican Diocese of Canterbury.svg
| flag_size = 150px
| province = Canterbury
| coordinates = {{Coord|51|16|47|N|1|5|0|E|region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| parishes = 231
| churches = 327
| bishop = Archbishop of Canterbury (vacant)
| cathedral = Canterbury Cathedral
| archdeaconries = Canterbury, Ashford, Maidstone
| suffragans = Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover (pseudo-diocesan)
Rob Munro, Bishop of Ebbsfleet (PEV)
Luke Irvine-Capel, Bishop of Richborough (PEV)
| archdeacons = Will Adam, Archdeacon of Canterbury
Darren Miller, Archdeacon of Ashford
Archdeacon of Maidstone (vacant)
| website = [https://www.canterburydiocese.org www.canterburydiocese.org]
}}
The Diocese of Canterbury is a Church of England diocese covering eastern Kent which was founded by St Augustine of Canterbury in 597. The diocese is centred on Canterbury Cathedral and is the oldest see of the Church of England.
Bishops
The diocesan bishop is the archbishop of Canterbury. However, because of their roles as metropolitan bishop of the Province of Canterbury, Primate of All England and "first bishop" of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the archbishop (whose primary residence is at Lambeth Palace in London) is often away from the diocese. Therefore, their suffragan bishop, the bishop of Dover (presently Rose Hudson-Wilkin), is in many ways empowered to act almost as if she were the diocesan bishop.
The diocese had from 1944 to 2009 a second locally focussed suffragan bishop, the bishop of Maidstone (this version of the post was discontinued in November 2010), who had a similar though subordinate role to that of the Bishop of Dover.[http://www.canterburydiocese.org/diocesansynodnews/index.htm Canterbury Diocese — Synod News] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615003605/http://www.canterburydiocese.org/diocesansynodnews/index.htm |date=June 15, 2011 }} Two suffragans have nominal sees in the diocese — the bishops of Ebbsfleet and Richborough, who are provincial episcopal visitors with a wider focus than the diocese.
Besides the archbishop and the bishop of Dover, three honorary assistant bishops supervise and officiate. Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese who reject the ministry of priests who are women) is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor (PEV), the bishop suffragan of Richborough (Luke Irvine-Capel). There are three honorary assistant bishops licensed in the diocese:
- 2003–present: Michael Turnbull, retired former bishop of Durham and bishop of Rochester, lives in Sandwich.{{Who's Who
| title=Turnbull, Michael
| id = U14402
| volume = 2014
| edition = December 2013 online
| access-date = 25 April 2014
}}
- 2008–present: Richard Llewellin, retired former bishop at Lambeth (chief of staff for the archbishop at Lambeth Palace) and former bishop of Dover, lives in Canterbury.{{Who's Who
| title=Llewellin, (John) Richard (Allan)
| id = U24722
| volume = 2014
| edition = December 2013 online
| access-date = 25 April 2014
}}
- 2009–present: Graham Cray, retired archbishops' missioner and fresh expressions team leader and former bishop suffragan of Maidstone lives in Harrietsham.{{Who's Who
| title=Cray, Graham Alan
| id = U12296
| volume = 2014
| edition = December 2013 online
| access-date = 25 April 2014
}}
Diocesan structure
For organisational purposes, the diocese is divided into three archdeaconries,{{Cite web|url=https://www.canterburydiocese.org/new-archdeacon-of-canterbury-appointed/|title=New Archdeacon of Canterbury appointed|last=Drew|first=Anna|date=11 September 2016|website=The Diocese of Canterbury|access-date=26 December 2016}} containing a total of sixteen deaneries, which are further subdivided into parishes:{{Cite web|url=https://www.canterburydiocese.org/deaneriesandparishes/|title=Deaneries and parishes|website=The Diocese of Canterbury|access-date=26 December 2016|archive-date=13 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813143036/https://www.canterburydiocese.org/deaneriesandparishes/|url-status=dead}} Canterbury Diocese comprises 202 parishes organised in 100 legal benefices.{{Cite web |title=Diocese of Canterbury {{!}} Deaneries and Parishes |url=https://www.canterburydiocese.org/our-life/deaneries-parishes/ |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=www.canterburydiocese.org}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Archdeaconries !Rural deaneries |
| rowspan="16" |Diocese of Canterbury
| rowspan="5" |Archdeaconry of Canterbury |Deanery of Canterbury |
| Deanery of East Bridge |
| Deanery of Reculver |
| Deanery of Thanet |
| Deanery of West Bridge |
| rowspan="6" |Archdeaconry of Ashford
|Deanery of Ashford |
| Deanery of Dover |
| Deanery of Elham |
| Deanery of Romney |
| Deanery of Sandwich |
| Deanery of Vineyard |
| rowspan="5" |Archdeaconry of Maidstone
|Deanery of Maidstone |
| Deanery of North Downs |
| Deanery of Ospringe |
| Deanery of Sittingbourne |
| Deanery of Weald |
Historical revenue
The Report of the Commissioners appointed by his Majesty to inquire into the Ecclesiastical Revenues of England and Wales (1835) noted the net annual revenue for the Canterbury see was £19,182.The National Enclopaedia of Useful Knowledge, Vol.III, Charles Knight, London, 1847, p.362 This made it the wealthiest diocese in England.
See also
- John Wallis Academy — school in Ashford sponsored by the diocese
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.canterburydiocese.org}}
- [http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/statistics/churchstatistics2002 Church of England Statistics 2002] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203171913/http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/statistics/churchstatistics2002 |date=3 February 2007 }}
- [https://www.unionbetweenchristians.com/2022/10/diocese-of-canterbury-province-of.html Diocese of Canterbury in the Province of Canterbury]
{{Province of Canterbury}}
{{Diocese of Canterbury}}
{{Portal bar|Christianity|England|Kent}}
{{Authority control}}