Archbishops to visit Cambridge

The Archbishops will begin by visiting the Oakington Immigration Detention Centre where they will meet the multi-faith chaplaincy team, as well as detainees and staff, to highlight the political and human rights issues before giving a homily at a short service.

The Archbishops will spend Friday afternoon looking at the Churches' response to homelessness by visiting the Emmaus Community at Landbeach. The Emmaus Community is home to up to thirty people who were formerly homeless and provides not only shelter but work in accordance with the principles of acceptance, sharing, working for others of greater need and self respect.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will deliver two lectures entitled 'What Difference Does it Make? – The Gospel in Contemporary Culture' and 'Faith, Reason and Quality Assurance: Having Faith in Academic Life'. In addition Dr. Williams will attend a seminar with local clergy and Diocesan staff at St George's Church in Chesterton to discuss the subject of 'New Churches for New Communities'.

As part of his programme, the Archbishop of York will deliver a lecture entitled 'A Broken Society?' at Great St. Mary's and will address the 'Changing Chaplaincy' conference at Anglia Ruskin University. Dr Sentamu will speak to students of the Cambridge Union, and will conduct several pastoral interviews with students at Pembroke College. Dr Sentamu will also conduct a Q&A with school children and sixth formers, in addition to attending a 'Policing in the Community' meeting with researchers and practitioners at the Department of Criminology.

In summary of their lectures in Cambridge, the Archbishops will take part in a seminar at Great St Mary's Church chaired by Madeline Bunting entitled 'Faith in the Future'. This will be an opportunity for the Archbishops to recap the themes of their previous lectures, provide a reflection on the experiences of their visit and answer questions that have been submitted over the previous days with the aim to provide a vision for the future.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams said, "Together with the Archbishop of York, I am greatly looking forward to this visit, and to engaging with the local community in Cambridge and the different aspects of life in one of the world's great universities."

The Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu said, "I am delighted to be able to engage with the students and to work alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury on a visit which provides a wonderful opportunity to listen and learn of Cambridge's future plans on a wide range of important issues"