John Sentamu

The Most Revd and Rt Hon  John Sentamu
Archbishop of York
Sentamu in York on Easter Sunday 2007.
Province	Province of York
Diocese	Diocese of York
Enthroned	10 May 2005
Predecessor	David Hope
Other posts	Bishop of Stepney (1996–2002) Bishop of Birmingham (2002–2005)
Orders
Ordination	1979
Consecration	1996
Personal details
Birth name	John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu
Born	10 June 1949 (1949-06-10) (age 62) Kampala, Uganda
Nationality	British Ugandan
Denomination	Anglicanism
Residence	Bishopthorpe Palace, North Yorkshire
Parents	John and Ruth Walakira[1]
Spouse	Margaret (1973—present)[2]
Children	One daughter (Grace) and one son (Geoffrey)[2]
Profession	formerly law (High Court advocate)
Alma mater	Makerere University Selwyn College, Cambridge Ridley Hall, Cambridge

John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu (pronounced: SEN-ta-moo; born 10 June 1949) is the 97th Archbishop of York, Metropolitan of the province of York, and Primate of England. He is the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

Life and career

Sentamu was born in 1949 in a village near Kampala, Uganda, the sixth of thirteen children. He read law (LL.B.) at Makerere University, Kampala, and practised as an advocate of the High Court of Uganda. Sentamu practised both law at the Bar and at the Bench until 1974. He incurred the wrath of the dictator Idi Amin because of his judicial independence and was locked up for 90 days, three weeks after his marriage. In a speech in 2007, he described how during that time he had been "kicked around like a football and beaten terribly", saying "the temptation to give up hope of release was always present".^[3] In 1974 he fled to the United Kingdom.

He read theology at Selwyn College, Cambridge (BA 1976, MA 1979, PhD 1984). He trained for the priesthood at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, being ordained a priest in 1979. His doctoral thesis is entitled Some aspects of soteriology, with particular reference to the thought of J.K. Mozley, from an African perspective.^[4] He worked as assistant chaplain at Selwyn College, as chaplain at a remand centre and as curate and vicar in a series of parish appointments before his consecration, in 1996, as Bishop of Stepney (a suffragan see in the Diocese of London). It was during this time that he served as advisor to the Stephen Lawrence Judicial Enquiry. In 2002 he chaired the Damilola Taylor review. That same year he was appointed Bishop of Birmingham where his ministry, according to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was praised by "Christians of all backgrounds". Sentamu became President of Youth for Christ in 2004 and President of the YMCA in April 2005.^[5]

On 17 June 2005 the prime minister's office announced his translation to York as the 97th archbishop.^[6] He was formally elected by the chapter of York Minster on 21 July,^[7] legally confirmed as archbishop in London on 5 October, and enthroned at York Minster on 30 November 2005 (the feast of Saint Andrew), at a ceremony with African singing and dancing and contemporary music, with Sentamu himself playing African drums during the service.^[8][9] In the same year, Sentamu was admitted, as a matter of course, to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.^[10]

On 7 March 2007 he was installed as the first Chancellor of York St John University.

On 16 July 2007, Sentamu was presented with an honorary degree from the University of Hull by the chancellor of the university, Virginia Bottomley, at Hull City Hall during the graduation ceremony for graduands of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.^[11]

On 19 July 2007 he was presented with an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Sheffield in recognition of his distinguished career as a scholar and theologian.^[12]

In October 2007 Sentamu was awarded the Yorkshireman of the Year title by the Black Sheep Brewery. In his acceptance speech Sentamu praised the welcome he had received from the people of Yorkshire and made reference to the African-Yorkshire DNA connection, joking that perhaps his parents had this in mind when they gave him the name Mugabi, which, spelled backwards, is Ibagum ('ee-by-gum', a stock phrase popularly supposed to be used to express shock or disbelief in northern England).^[13]

On 15 July 2010, Sentamu was presented with an honorary degree from the University of York by the Provost of Vanbrugh College, the Reverend David Efird of the Department of Philosophy.^[14]

On 16 July 2010, Sentamu was presented with an honorary degree from the University of Leeds by the chancellor of the university, Melvyn Bragg.^[15]

Views

Sentamu has spoken out on a range of issues. The plight of young people, the importance of the family, freedom from slavery, and injustice and conflict abroad are particularly close to his heart. In an interview a week before his enthronement he, among other things, called for a re-discovery of English pride and cultural identity, warning that zeal for multiculturalism had sometimes "seemed to imply, wrongly for me, 'let other cultures be allowed to express themselves but do not let the majority culture at all tell us its glories, its struggles, its joys, its pains'."^[16] Just as at Birmingham, Sentamu has expressed a desire to be known informally as Archbishop for York (rather than of).

Stop and Search

In 2000, when still Bishop of Stepney, Sentamu was stopped by an officer of the Metropolitan Police near to St Paul's Cathedral and his car was searched under police stop and search powers. Sentamu claimed it was the eighth time that he had been questioned by police in eight years, and that he was the only Church of England bishop to have been stopped by police in this way.^[17] In a 2010 debate in the House of Lords, Sentamu was critical of the standards of "reasonable grounds to suspect" applied by police.^[18]

Middle East

Early in 2006, Sentamu was featured prominently in the British press for his comments on what he saw as injustices over the treatment of prisoners of war in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.^[19]

For a week, starting 14 August 2006, Sentamu pitched a tent and camped in York Minster, foregoing food in solidarity with those impacted by the Middle East conflict, especially the children and other civilians killed and injured during the 2006 Lebanon War, which featured prominently the use of cluster bombs by Israeli forces.^[20][21][22]

In 2006 he claimed that the BBC is frightened of criticising Islam.^[23]

"Chocolate Trinity" comments

One of Sentamu's favourite references is to "The Chocolate Trinity" of God-fearing Quaker capitalists who were involved in developing the chocolate industry:^[24][25]

• George Cadbury: "More than just a sweet man"
• Joseph Rowntree: "…an adventurer to the end of life, forever peering forward, never content with what had been achieved."
• Joseph Storrs Fry II (J. S. Fry): "…the very model of the pre-1860 Quaker, with his plain dress a relic of the past and a reflection of his narrow conservative approach to both religion and business."

Celebrity

In 2006, he turned down the chance to appear in the reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother, saying "Celebrity can be malign in that it becomes a form of idolatry, and people live their lives vicariously through the rich and famous rather than attending to their own lives."^[26]

As of October 2010, United Kingdom bookmakers have converged on Sentamu as the most likely bishop to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury.^[27]

Fertility

In a speech to the House of Lords on 19 November 2007, he opposed elements of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill for seeking to remove a child’s “need for a father” in the IVF process. He said: “We are now faced with a Bill which is seeking to formalise the situation where the need for the ultimate male role model – that of the father – is removed in entirety.”^[28]

Robert Mugabe

On 9 December 2007, during a live television interview with Andrew Marr on BBC One, Sentamu made a protest against Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. Sentamu ripped off his clerical collar and cut it up stating that

“

...as an Anglican, this is what I wear to identify myself that I'm a clergyman. Do you know what Mugabe has done? He's taken people's identity and literally if you don't mind, cut it to pieces. This is what he's actually done, to a lot of – and in the end there's nothing. So as far as I'm concerned from now on I'm not going to wear a dog collar until Mugabe's gone.[29]

”

His protest followed criticism against Mugabe at the EU –Africa summit in Lisbon.

In December 2008, Sentamu again spoke out against Robert Mugabe, saying "The time has come for Robert Mugabe to answer for his crimes against humanity, against his countrymen and women and for justice to be done".^[30]

Faith and the workplace

In a Daily Mail article in February 2009, Sentamu criticised the treatment of British Christians in the workplace in the public sector. Referring to the cases of Caroline Petrie, a visiting nurse investigated for religious approaches to patients, and Jennie Cain, a school receptionist who claimed she was disciplined for sending an email asking her friends to pray for her when her daughter was reprimanded for telling a friend she would burn in hell, Archbishop Sentamu said "Asking someone to leave their belief in God at the door of their workplace is akin to asking them to remove their skin colour before coming into the office," and emphasised that"Christianity is the tapestry upon which our country's heritage was woven."^[31]

Alan Johnston kidnapping

In April and May 2007, Sentamu campaigned for the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston from his captors in Palestine. He led prayers of thanks at Bishopthorpe Palace after Mr Johnston was freed two months later and the pair met up in December 2007.^[32]

Madeleine McCann

In September 2007, Sentamu called for an end to the “whispering campaign” against the parents of missing child Madeleine McCann who disappeared in Portugal, and said that energies should be concentrated on finding her.^[33]

Kenya crisis

Sentamu met church leaders in Kenya following post-election conflict there in February 2008.^[34]

Financial crisis

In September 2008, Sentamu and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, spoke out against opportunistic stock market trading. Sentamu compared those who practiced short selling regarding their HBOS shares, driving the share prices down, as being "clearly bank robbers".^[35]

Church schools

In a Daily Mail article in October 2008, Sentamu defended the role of church schools against what he characterised as an "an attack of unusual and sustained ferocity" mounted by "a number of influential commentators" whom he did not name.^[36]

Ugandan anti-homosexuality law

Sentamu, born in Uganda, said laws being debated in Uganda which would impose the death penalty on homosexuals and on those supporting them were "victimising". He told the BBC that the proposed law "tends to confuse all of homosexual relationships with what you call aggravated stuff and that’s the problem” but that the Anglican communion was committed to recognising that gay people were valued by God.^[37] Previously, as Bishop of Stepney, he was one of four English bishops who refused to sign the Cambridge Accord: an attempt in 1999 to find agreement on affirming certain human rights of homosexuals, notwithstanding differences within the church on the morality of homosexual behaviour.^[38]

Premarital sex

Commenting on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s decision to live together before their marriage, Sentamu said that many modern couples want to “test whether the milk is good before they buy the cow.” He said that the royal couple’s public commitment to live their lives together today would be more important than their past. Some Anglican traditionalists^[who?] criticised Sentamu, the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, for failing to reinforce traditional Christian teaching prohibiting sex outside marriage. Sentamu said that he had conducted wedding services for “many cohabiting couples” during his time as a vicar in south London and that “We are living at a time where some people, as my daughter used to say, they want to test whether the milk is good before they buy the cow.”

He also said, “For some people that’s where their journeys are. But what is important, actually, is not to simply look at the past because they are going to be standing in the Abbey taking these wonderful vows: 'for better for worse; for richer for poorer; in sickness and in health; till death us do part.’”^[39]

Other activities

York City FC

Sentamu has become a season ticket holder at York City FC, and has attended as many games as his busy schedule allowed during the 2007/08 season.^[40]

Public baptisms

On Easter Sunday 2008, Sentamu baptised 20 people by full immersion in a tank of water outside St Michael-le-Belfrey Church in York. Hundreds of people watched the yearly ceremony which involves a network of churches in the city.^[41]

Skydive for the Afghanistan Trust

On 6 June 2008, Sentamu completed a charity skydive from 12,500 feet with a member of the Red Devils parachute team. The dive took place over Langar Airfield in Nottinghamshire, with Sentamu aiming to raise £50,000 for the Afghanistan Trust. Yorkshire businessman Guy Brudenell had challenged Sentamu to do the jump at a charity dinner and Brudenell also took part in the jump on the day.^[42] In recognition of what was described as his "pluck", Sentamu was later given honorary membership of the Parachute Regimental Association.^[43]

Sentamu and Brudenell managed to exceed the amount of money which they aimed to raise, with the figure thus far totalling approximately £75,000.^[44]

Hull Kingston Rovers

On 15 April 2011 Sentamu addressed the crowd at Craven Park before the engage Super League clash between Hull Kingston Rovers and Wigan Warriors. He asked the crowd to join him in prayer extoling the virtues of teamwork and harmony in sport. Afterwards he was presented with his very own Hull KR shirt.

Styles

Anglicanism portal

• Mr John Sentamu (1949–1979)
• The Revd John Sentamu (1979–1984)
• The Revd Dr John Sentamu (1984–1993)
• The Revd Canon Dr John Sentamu (1993–1996)
• The Rt Revd Dr John Sentamu (1996–2005)
• The Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu (2005—present)

References

1. ^ "Notable Biography". Notablebiographies.com. http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2006-Ra-Z/Sentamu-John.html. Retrieved 30 April 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Proud Archbishop of York conducts his own daughter's wedding ceremony". The Daily Mail. UK. 18 December 2009. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1236977/Proud-Archbiship-York-conducts-daughters-wedding-ceremony.html. Retrieved 30 April 2011. 
3. ^ Archbishop tells his captivity story in call to free Alan Johnson, 24dash.com. Retrieved 11 January 2009 from the Internet Archive
4. ^ University of Cambridge library catalogue^{[dead link]}
5. ^ "Biography". The Archbishop of York. http://www.archbishopofyork.org/780. Retrieved 30 April 2011. 
6. ^ "New Archbishop of York appointed". BBC News. 17 June 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4102582.stm. Retrieved 12 August 2006. 
7. ^ London Gazette: no. 57706. p. 9331. 19 July 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
8. ^ "First black Archbishop enthroned". BBC News. 30 November 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/4481796.stm. Retrieved 12 August 2006. 
9. ^ Jeffery, Simon (17 June 2005). "First black Church of England archbishop appointed". London: Guardian Online. http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,1508879,00.html. Retrieved 12 August 2006. 
10. ^ "Debrett's People of Today – John Sentamu York". Debretts.com. 6 October 1949. http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/search/results/19338/John%20Tucker%20Mugabi%20Sentamu+YORK.aspx. Retrieved 30 April 2011. 
11. ^ The University of Hull^{[dead link]}
12. ^ "Archbishop of York awarded honorary degree". University of Sheffield. 23 July 2007. http://www.shef.ac.uk/mediacentre/archbishop.html. Retrieved 23 July 2007. 
13. ^ "Speech by the Most Revd & Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu on accepting the Yorkshire Man of the Year Award". The Diocese of York. 26 October 2007. http://www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/cgi/news/news.cgi?t=template&a=1186. Retrieved 30 November 2007. ^{[dead link]}
14. ^ "Archbishop John Sentamu receives an honorary degree". BBC News. 15 July 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-10656063. 
15. ^ "John Sentamu – John Sentamu – University of Leeds". Leeds.ac.uk. 16 July 2010. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/30310/honorary_graduates/305/john_sentamu. Retrieved 30 April 2011. 
16. ^ Gledhill, Ruth (30 November 2005). "Multiculturalism has betrayed the English, Archbishop says". The Times (UK). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1882591,00.html. Retrieved 12 August 2006. 
17. ^ Dodd, Vikram (24 January 2000). "Black bishop 'demeaned' by police search". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2000/jan/24/race.world. Retrieved 27 September 2011. 
18. ^ "Volume No. 720 - 27 July 2010 : Column 1278". Hansard. Houses of Parliament. 27 July 2010. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/100727-0002.htm#10072739000568. Retrieved 27 September 2011. 
19. ^ Herbert, Ian; Russell, Ben (18 February 2006). "'The Americans are breaking international law...'". The Independent (UK). http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article346214.ece. Retrieved 30 November 2006. 
20. ^ "Anglican archbishop's solidarity fast". The Irish Times. 12 August 2006. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2006/0812/1155291283803.html. Retrieved 12 August 2006. 
21. ^ [news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3681938.stm "John Sentamu to fast"]. BBC News. 12 August 2006. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3681938.stm. Retrieved 14 August 2006. ^{[dead link]}
22. ^ Bates, Stephen (17 August 2006). "Inside is a strange place to pitch a tent…". The Guardian (UK). http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1851757,00.html. Retrieved 17 August 2006. 
23. ^ Petre, Jonathan (15 November 2006). "BBC frightened of criticising Islam, says archbishop". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/11/14/nmuslim14.xml. Retrieved 24 March 2007. 
24. ^ Bishop’s lecture notes on York Diocese website.
25. ^ His Ebor Lecture in York Minster (13 September 2006.
26. ^ "Archbishop turns down Celebrity Big Brother". Ananova. 21 December 2006. http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2126686.html?menu=news.quirkies. Retrieved 22 December 2006. 
27. ^ Aitchison, Gavin (23 February 2008). "Sentamu tipped for top position". York Press. http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/2068256.sentamu_tipped_for_top_position/. Retrieved 6 May 2011. 
28. ^ "Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill". Press release containing text of speech (Archbishop of York's press office). 19 November 2007. http://www.archbishopofyork.org/1281. Retrieved 7 April 2008. 
29. ^ "Archbishop makes Zimbabwe protest". BBC News. 9 December 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7135087.stm. Retrieved 9 December 2007. 
30. ^ "Archbishop urges Mugabe overthrow.". BBC News (BBC). 6 December 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7769546.stm. Retrieved 6 December 2008. 
31. ^ The intolerance towards Christians in the public sector is an affront, John Sentamu, Daily Mail, 13 February 2009
32. ^ "Free at last, Free at last". Press release (Archbishop of York's press office). 4 July 2007. http://www.archbishopofyork.org/284. Retrieved 7 April 2008. 
33. ^ "We must have faith for Maddie". Press release of article originally written for The Sun newspaper (Archbishop of York's press office). 4 July 2007. http://www.archbishopofyork.org/1068?q=mccann. Retrieved 7 April 2008. 
34. ^ "Archbishop of York visit to Kenya". Photos of trip (Archbishop of York's press office). 8 February 2008. http://www.archbishopofyork.org/1579. Retrieved 7 April 2008. 
35. ^ "Archbishops attack City practices". BBC News (BBC). 25 September 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7634641.stm. Retrieved 25 September 2008. 
36. ^ Dr John Sentamu: Critics are making a ferocious attack on Church schools ... I have to speak out, Daily Mail, 19 October 2008
37. ^ Archbishop of York condemns Ugandan anti-gay bill BBC
38. ^ "Cambridge Accord (with UK signatories and refusals to sign)". http://www.archive.changingattitude.org/lambeth_conf_cambridge_accord.html. Retrieved 27 February 2011. 
39. ^ Royal wedding: Archbishop backs William and Kate's decision to live together before marriage
40. ^ timesonline.co.uk^{[dead link]}
41. ^ "Archbishop leads outdoor baptisms". BBC News (BBC). 23 March 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7310570.stm. Retrieved 11 April 2008. 
42. ^ "Archbishop skydives for soldiers". BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). 6 June 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7439257.stm. Retrieved 6 June 2008. 
43. ^ "Paras recognise Dr John’s pluck". The Press. Newsquest Media Group. 21 February 2009. http://www.thepress.co.uk/search/4144156.Paras_recognise_Dr_John___s_pluck/. Retrieved 27 March 2009. 
44. ^ Beckford, Martin (6 June 2008). "Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, performs skydive". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2083754/Archbishop-of-York,--John-Sentamu,-performs-skydive.html. Retrieved 6 June 2008. 

External links

• Enthronement of the Archbishop of York, Timetable of Events
• ITN interview, 7 February 2007
• Archbishop of York cuts up his Dog Collar in Mugabe protest (VIDEO) 9 December 2007

Church of England titles
Preceded by Mark Santer	Bishop of Birmingham 2002–2005	Succeeded by David Urquhart
Preceded by David Hope	Archbishop of York (Primate of England) 2005 – present	Incumbent
Order of precedence in England and Wales
Preceded by The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP Lord Chancellor	Gentlemen Archbishop of York	Succeeded by The Rt Hon David Cameron MP Prime Minister

Persondata
Name	Sentamu, John
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1949-06-10
Place of birth	Kampala, Uganda
Date of death
Place of death