New Archbishop of York appointed
Sentamu's reaction
The Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Rev John Sentamu, has become the
Church of England's first black archbishop.
The Ugandan-born cleric takes over as Archbishop of York from Dr
David Hope who quit in February to become a parish priest in Ilkley,
West Yorkshire.
Bishop Sentamu said his appointment to the second-highest post in the
Church of England was "an exciting prospect".
He added that the Church needed to regain its vision and confidence
and be ready to take risks.
At a news conference, Bishop Sentamu said he looked forward to
working with the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams to spread
the Christian message.
"It is imperative that the Church regains her vision and confidence
in mission, developing ways that will enable the Church of England to
reconnect imaginatively with England."
Asked if this meant the Church had lost its way in recent years, he
responded: "We just need to reconnect, we just need to revitalise
ourselves, we just need a fresh vision."
Dr Williams welcomed the news and praised the bishop's efforts to
combat racism.
Bishop Sentamu worked on inquiries into the 1993 racist killing of
Stephen Lawrence and the stabbing of Nigerian schoolboy Damilola
Taylor in 2000.
Dr Williams said: "He is someone who has always combined a passion
for sharing the gospel with a keen sense of the problems and
challenges of our society, particularly where racism is concerned."
It is imperative that the Church regains her vision and confidence in mission
Bishop John Sentamu
The 56-year-old was educated in Uganda, where he practised as a
barrister and was an outspoken critic of Idi Amin's regime, before
coming to the UK in 1974.
He was ordained in 1979, serving as assistant chaplain at Selwyn
College, Cambridge.
From 1979 to 1982 he was chaplain at HM Remand Centre Latchmere House
and curate of St Andrew's Ham, Southwark, south London.
After serving in a succession of London parishes, he was appointed
Bishop of Stepney in 1996 and Bishop of Birmingham in 2002.
In Birmingham he has been a prominent campaigner on gun crime and
also worked closely with MG Rover workers after the car firm
collapsed.
The bishop and his wife Margaret have two grown-up children, Grace
and Geoffrey.
'Excellent appointment'
City of York MP Hugh Bayley, who worked with the then Bishop of
Stepney on anti-poverty initiatives when he was a social security
minister in the late 1990s, welcomed his appointment as Archbishop of
York.
"I think it is an excellent appointment for York and for the Church
of England," said Mr Bayley.
"I know from work I have done with him in the past that he has a
strong commitment to tackling poverty in the UK and I hope that he
will bring that to his work in the north of England."
Bishop Sentamu's, whose appointment was made by the Queen on the
recommendation of Prime Minister Tony Blair, is expected to move to
York in the late autumn.
BBC
Friday, 17 June, 2005, 17:02 GMT 18:02 UK
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