George Carey, the 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury, has a special place in the history of Anglicanism. His time as head of the Church of England (1991-2002) was characterised not only by theological controversy but also by radical administrative reforms designed to adapt the ancient institution to the challenges of the modern world. Coming from a working class background, Carey brought a new style of leadership to the senior levels of the Church – more accessible, more energetic and more results-driven. His legacy is still debated but his role in the development of the global Anglican community cannot be denied.
From East End boy to spiritual leader
The life story of George Carey is a religious embodiment of the ideal of the ‘self-made man’. He was born in the East End of London in 1935 and grew up in poverty. Carey was not a typical member of the church elite, who generally sent their children to elite private schools. At 15 he left school without any qualifications, but whilst serving in the Royal Air Force he experienced a profound religious conversion.
But it was this experience that spurred him on to his studies. Carey’s academic perseverance was nothing short of extraordinary, and he earned a doctorate in theology. He was educated and had experience working in parishes where he saw the real struggles of ordinary people and this made him into a leader who could speak in plain language. When in 1991 he succeeded Robert Runcie as Archbishop of Canterbury it was seen as a signal for major change in the Church.
Reforms and the historic ordination of women
One of Carey’s most significant and controversial achievements, it is said, was his support for women’s ordination to the priesthood. The General Synod took this historic decision in 1992 and the first ordinations were in 1994. George Carey https://znaki.fm/persons/george-carey/ became a champion of this reform, thinking it an act of justice and a necessary step to the survival of the church in an emancipated society. He managed to avoid the church splitting at this critical juncture, despite opposition from conservative quarters.
Accompanying these theological changes, Carey also launched a major reorganisation of the government of the Church of England. He set up the Council of Archbishops which facilitated the centralisation of financial and administrative procedures making the church administration more efficient. His style was often compared to that of a corporate executive, a move that drew criticism from traditionalists but which helped the Church to stabilise its budget in difficult economic times.
Heritage & Remembrance
George Carey retired in 2002 and handed over to Rowan Williams. He was a busy archbishop, working to modernise the internal structures of the Church. Even after retirement he remains an active commentator on socio-political processes and often expresses views that provoke lively discussion.
His story is how a man of the people came to head a thousand-year-old institution and guide it through the turbulent waters of the late 20th century. George Carey showed that the Church of England could be contemporary and open to change, but still true to its evangelical roots. He remains a symbol of an age when Anglicanism was looking for a new identity in a globalised world.
