Lambeth degree

In the year 1533, the Ecclesiastical Licences Act (also known as the Peter’s Pence Act) took the power from the Pope to bestow academic degrees, and delegated it to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior bishop of the Church of England. These degrees are known as Lambeth Degrees, and also as Degrees of the Realm. This act, which enabled candidates to receive the degree without residence in a university or often without taking any exams, was passed because the spreading of the plague had become an impediment to travel.

Awarding of the Lambeth Degree

Today, the practice of the awarding of Lambeth degrees continues and is recognised legally by section 216(1) of the Education Reform Act 1988 by the Education (Recognised Bodies) (England) Order 2007. Two different types of Lambeth degree are awarded nowadays; degrees for which the candidate must sit an exam, and degrees awarded in recognition of distinguished service to the church. Both types of Lambeth degree are substantive, and officially recognised as being awarded only to those considered to have met the degree requirements, as distinct to a purely honorary degree (although it is similar). This means that the holder of a Lambeth doctorate may use the word ‘Doctor’ before their name in an official context. Those who receive the Lambeth degree are obliged to pledge an oath of allegiance to the current monarch – her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom or overseas realms. In the awarding of the Lambeth degree, no formal religious test or oath is required.

Lambeth degrees are awarded solely at the Archbishop’s discretion, and subjects in which they can be awarded are Arts, Divinity, Law, Medicine and Music.

Types of Lambeth Degree

The type of Lambeth Degree which does not require the passing of an exam is generally awarded in recognition of past experience or learning, but also as a way of bestowing an honour. In the eighteen and nineteen hundreds, diocesan bishops were given the title of Doctor of Divinity as part of their appointment. Since 1961, however, this has no longer been standard practice and awarding of this type of Lambeth degree has been based on individual merit.

There are two grades of the Lambeth Degree requiring the passing of examinations; the Student of Theology, and the Master of Arts; the exam is named the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Examination in Theology. The Lambeth MA can be awarded by thesis. The Lambeth MA, inaugurated by Archbishop Runcie on behalf of the Lambeth Diploma Committee in 1990, carries the same standard as a Master of Philosophy (MPhil). The purpose of the introduction of this was to create a Lambeth Degree which provided possibilities for more intensive theological study than the Lambeth Diploma. The minimum requirement for a Lambeth MA awarded by thesis is a 2:1 in Theology or similar. Applications for this type of Lambeth Degree are run by an Archbishop-appointed committee twice a year. If entry is granted, this committee then provides supervision for the writing of the thesis. Awarding of the qualification follows approval by two examiners and the committee itself.

Attire associated with the Lambeth Degree

Those holding Lambeth degrees are permitted to wear academic dress, and traditionally, this attire is the academic attire worn by graduates of the university where the current Archbishop of Canterbury studied. So far all the Archbishops, except Dr Carey, who kept with tradition by wearing Oxford attire, have been graduates of either Oxford or Cambridge university. (Doctor Carey graduated from the university of London).

Recommendation for the Lambeth Degree

Those upon whom Lambeth degrees are bestowed do not apply for the Lambeth degree themselves – instead, they are nominated, as described on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s website, by someone “who knows him and his work very well”. CVs and recommendations, along with letters of support from those who know the nominee and their work well can then be sent to the Archbishop’s secretary.

Recent recipients of the Lambeth Degree

Each year, the number of recipients of the Lambeth Degree averages anything up to ten. In 2008, Lambeth Degrees were awarded to Mrs Margaret Barker, Professor Terence Copley, the Very Revd John Drury, Mrs Margaret Duggan, Mr Bill Ives, Ms Christine Morgan, the Revd Canon Paul Oestreicher, the Revd Canon David Scott, the Revd Barry Till and the Revd Canon Andrew Wheeler.
The list for 2006 recipients of Lambeth Degrees reads as follows: Professor Donald Allchin, Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield, Ms Madeleine Bunting, Miss Peggy Hartley, The Revd Malcolm Johnson, the Rt Revd Peter Lee, the Revd Dr George Lovell and Mr Ernest Warrell.
In 2005, Lambeth degrees were awarded to Professor Norman Doe, Mr Anthony Dunford, Dr Harry Grindle, the Revd Professor Leslie Houlden, the Revd Canon David Hutt, the Rt Revd Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, the Revd Dr Edwin Robertson, and Dr Alan Thurlow.
Recipients of Lambeth Degrees in 2004 were the Revd Dr Marcus Braybrooke, the Revd Canon John Foskett, the Rt Revd Kenneth Gill, Dr David Shaw, the Rt Revd Dr David Stancliffe, and Mr John Wilkins.
In 2003 Lambeth degrees were awarded to the Revd Dr Stuart Burgess, Mr John Ewington, the Revd Canon Dr Michael Perry, the Revd Donald Reeves, and Mr David Shreeve.
The awarding of the Lambeth Degree across faiths is not unheard of. On November 1st, 2006, the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, presided over a ceremony held in Lambeth Palace Chapel to award a degree of Doctor of Divinity to Rabbi Tony Bayfield (named above). The award was given in recognition of Rabbi Bayfield’s achievements and contributions towards the harmonising of interfaith relations, through his academic work, and also his tenure as president of the Council of Christians and Jews.

The nature of Lambeth degrees has changed over centuries, as has the variety offered. One thing is certain though; the awarding of the Lambeth Degree by the Archbishops, established in 1533, is still a strong tradition and likely to continue for the foreseeable future.