Barry Morgan | |
|---|---|
| FormerArchbishop of Wales | |
.jpg) Archbishop Morgan in 2011 | |
| Church | Church in Wales |
| In office | May 2003 to January 2017 |
| Predecessor | Rowan Williams |
| Successor | John Davies |
| Other posts |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1972 (deacon) 1973 (priest) |
| Consecration | 9 January 1993 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Barry Cennydd Morgan (1947-01-31)31 January 1947 (age 78) |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Denomination | Anglicanism |
| Alma mater | |
Barry Cennydd Morgan (born 31 January 1947) is a retired Welsh Anglican bishop fromNeath,Wales who, from 2003 to Jan 2017, wasArchbishop of Wales. He was bothPrimate andMetropolitan of theChurch in Wales; Morgan was theBishop of Bangor from 1992 to 1999, and was theBishop of Llandaff from 1999 until his retirement in January 2017. He was the longest serving archbishop in the entire Anglican Communion, at the time of his retirement.[1]
Morgan was born on 31 January 1947 inNeath,Wales. He studied history atUniversity College, London, and graduated with aBachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1969.[2] In 1970, he enteredWestcott House, Cambridge, anAnglicantheological college in theLiberal Catholictradition, to train for ordination.[2] During this time, he also studied theology atSelwyn College, Cambridge, and graduated from theUniversity of Cambridge with BA degree in 1972; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to aMaster of Arts (MA Cantab) degree in 1974.[2] He was awarded aDoctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from theUniversity of Wales in 1986.[2]
Morgan wasordained in theChurch in Wales as adeacon in 1972 and as apriest in 1973.[2] He was a curate in the parish of St Andrews Major with Michaelston-le-Pit in theVale of Glamorgan. He then moved to becomechaplain andlecturer atSt Michael's College and theUniversity of Wales in Cardiff. Subsequent appointments include warden of the Church Hostel Bangor; chaplain and lecturer in theology at the University of Wales Bangor;Director of Ordinands and in-service training advisor in the Diocese of Bangor; and Rector of Wrexham. From 1986 to 1993 he wasArchdeacon of Merioneth.
In 1992 he was electedBishop of Bangor; he was consecrated on 9 January 1993 atSt Asaph Cathedral and then, in 1999 translated to becomeBishop of Llandaff. He was elected in April 2003 to become Archbishop of Wales, remaining also Bishop of Llandaff;[3] he took office upon the confirmation of his election in May 2003, and was ceremonially inaugurated on 12 July 2003 inLlandaff Cathedral.[4]
In August 2016 Morgan announced he would retire as Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Llandaff on 31 January 2017 to coincide with his 70th birthday as required by the Constitution of the Church in Wales.[1]
Morgan has served on the Central Committee of theWorld Council of Churches and served on the Primates Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion. He was a member of theLambeth Commission which produced theWindsor Report 2004.
Morgan is currently Pro-Chancellor of theUniversity of Wales, a fellow ofUniversity of Wales Institute, Cardiff and was until recently president of theWelsh Centre for International Affairs. He chaired an inquiry on behalf ofShelter Cymru onhomelessness in Wales.
In 2013, Morgan was elected aFellow of the Learned Society of Wales.[5]
In 2017 Morgan was appointed Knight to theOrder of St John(KStJ)[6]
In July 2020, Morgan was appointed as aJAC Commissioner.[7]
In September 2006, Morgan challenged the UK government's plans to renew theTrident nuclear missile system. According to theBBC,[8] he expressed concern "about the government's apparent commitment to a long-term replacement for the Trident weapons system. With that kind of money we could prevent 16,000 children dying every day from diseases caused by impure water and malnutrition. The deaths of 16,000 children a day is the equivalent of 40 jumbo jets crashing every day of every week. Our world would not tolerate that - just look at what happens when our airports grind to a halt. But we do tolerate hunger, poverty and impure water, and are prepared to contemplate spending our resources on weapons of mass destruction." Morgan clarified that the view expressed were his own, and not those of theChurch in Wales, however, theChurch Governing body later supported his views,[9] supporting the motion that "...the Governing Body deplore the decision of Her Majesty’s Government to consider the maintenance and renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons programme."
In December 2007, Morgan blamed "fundamentalist atheism" for the phenomenon of de-Christianisation in public life claiming thatChristmas was being called "Winterval", hospitals were removing Christian symbols from theirchapels and schools were refusing to allow children to sendChristmas cards.[10][11]
Morgan has argued strongly for increased transfers of responsibilities to the Welsh Assembly.[12]
He has expressed disquiet with the deportation of illegal immigrants (in one particular instance involving a Ghanaian cancer sufferer).[13] At Christmas 2014 he asked the British government to accept more refugees from Syria.[14]
Whilst strongly in favour of organ donation, he is against the Welsh Government's Bill on presumed consent where those who have not opted out will be deemed to have opted in for organ donation.[15]
Morgan has strongly supported the ministry of women priests in a diocese hitherto strongly opposed to the development and has appointed women to bearchdeacon of Llandaff,dean of Llandaff andvicar of the central Cardiff parish of St John the Baptist.[citation needed]
The Governing Body of the Church in Wales voted twice during Morgan's time as archbishop on the ordination of women to the episcopate, once in April 2008 (when the Governing Body voted in dissent), and again in 2013 (when it voted in assent). In 2016 a woman, the Revd CanonJoanna Penberthy, was elected by the Electoral College as thebishop of St David's.[16]
Morgan has written books on various subjects, including the poetry ofR. S. Thomas.
Morgan was married to Hilary P Morgan of theCrown Prosecution Service, who died on 14 January 2016.[17]
On the 15 March 2017 he was appointed a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.[18]
| Church in Wales titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Bangor 1992–1999 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Llandaff 1999–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of Wales 2003–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by | Pro-Chancellor of theUniversity of Wales 2006–present | Incumbent |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
