Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury: Talks at GS Session Highlights

Organizational Structure and Leadership Dynamics

• The Anglican Communion operates as a non-hierarchical network of 38 provinces rather than a centralized organization.
• The Church of England consists of 43 dioceses strictly within England, excluding Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.
• Bishops within each diocese are appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Prime Minister via a commission, not by the Archbishop.
• Archbishop Justin's role as presiding archbishop relies on maintaining the confidence of other bishops rather than having direct hierarchical authority.
• The Archbishop visited all 38 provinces in his first 20 months, including conflict zones such as South Sudan, to foster a common international vision.

Strategic Priorities and Conflict Response

• The three primary strategic priorities for the church are: renewal of prayer, reconciliation, and making new Christian disciples.
• Religious freedom and persecution are categorized under the reconciliation priority, affecting over 1,000 Anglicans murdered in religiously motivated violence over the last year.
• The global average Anglican is a woman in her 30s in Sub-Saharan Africa living on less than $4 a day, often in post-conflict or persecuted regions.
• Leadership must develop joint narratives with other faiths to counter radicalization by groups such as Daesh, Al-Shabaab, and Boko Haram.
• The church argues that resolving religiously motivated violence requires a multi-layered approach involving force, mediation, social media, and improved integrity in inter-faith debates.

Migration and Economic Engagement

• The Archbishop identifies two dangerous reactions to the refugee crisis: simplistic "something must be done" activism and isolationist policies like "drawing up the drawbridge."
• Sustainable solutions require long-term engagement to enable economies in countries like Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt to flourish and reduce the supply of refugees.
• The church advocates for leveraging the generosity of European economies to absorb, heal, and eventually facilitate the return of displaced people.
• Historical precedent for temporary asylum is cited through the 1568 Huguenot chapel agreement, which has remained in use by French Protestants for centuries.

Diversity and Demographic Challenges

• Following the passing of the Women Bishops Measure one year ago, 16 new bishops have been appointed, comprising eight women and eight men.
• While gender representation in the episcopate has balanced, the church acknowledges it is performing poorly in senior appointments from ethnic minorities.
• The average age of a member in the Church of England is 62–63, compared to 41 for the general UK population and 35 for the global Anglican Communion.
• To engage the millennial generation, the church aims to reduce hierarchy and formality, focusing instead on worship and sharing love.

Forward-Looking Statements and Ethical Guidance

• The Archbishop emphasizes a business-inspired mindset of prioritization, noting that decisions made today may take 30 to 40 years to bear fruit.
• A core ethical directive is issued to "love the poor, love one another, and love your enemy," described as the most demanding practical task.
• The leadership warns that mainstream faith communities have failed to maintain the integrity of their own conversations against radical forces.
• The Archbishop predicts that resolving the vacuum created by failed Arab nationalism movements will take at least one generation.