In the two years since the Most Rev. Justin Welby was installed as archbishop of Canterbury, he has traveled the world to talk with other church leaders, and his assessment of those visits has been, in many ways, grim.
He has declared the Church of England, which he leads, to be declining in numbers and influence, and has deemed the Anglican Communion, where he is viewed as first among equals of bishops around the world, to be so fractured over gender and sexuality that it is not worth trying to meet collectively any time soon.
But he has remained focused on evangelism, and he has emphasized areas where the Anglican Communion of 85 million people is strong, like using its bully pulpit to influence public policy, particularly about economic injustice and peacemaking.
This week, Archbishop Welby is in New York for a conference on inequality at Trinity Wall Street, which, as an Episcopal church, is part of the American province of the Anglican Communion. On Thursday, he spoke with Michael Paulson, a religion reporter for The New York Times. Below are edited excerpts from their conversation.
Q. Why is income inequality a religious issue?
A. It tends to result in the development of overmighty areas within society, and at the same time of people who are excluded and forgotten. Therefore it becomes an issue about the nature of the value of the human being, the dignity of the human being, which is a religious issue. The human being for whom Christ died is of equal value, whoever they are.
–
Q. Do you expect that Pope Francis will make substantive changes in the Catholic Church, or is it all tone?
A. He’s making very significant, substantive changes. The next session of the synod on the family, this autumn, is going to be very, very important. But the change in tone is already resulting in substantive change across many parts of the Catholic Church. I mean, he is the most extraordinary leader, a courageous leader and remarkable man.
Q. What difference does the pope make for Christians who are not Catholic?
A. Inspiration. People like me, you look to him and you think, “Oh, if I could do a hundredth of what he’s doing, I’d be quite pleased.” He is, in many ways, re-centering the ministry of the church on the love of Christ for the human being. And on the dignity of the human being, whoever they are, particularly where they’re marginalized.
Q. Is there a role for the monarchy today?
A. For the United States? We’re willing to consider it! For the United Kingdom? I think you see the role for the monarchy exhibited in setting an example of service, of adherence to duty, of courage and of faith. I think you see the continued role of the monarchy in being — in a rightly, regularly, and rapidly changing political scene — a point of both neutrality and stability.
