Centre for Law and Religion oversees 2nd edition of principles publication

This August saw the launch of the 2^nd edition of The Principles of Canon Law Common to the Churches of the Anglican Communion which was overseen by the Centre for Law and Religion, based at the School of Law and Politics.

The principles are used in legal research, in the development of Anglican canon law, and in inter-church relations. The launch of the 2^nd edition took place on 5 August 2022 at the Lambeth Conference, the decadal meeting of Bishops in Canterbury and was attended by bishops from around the worldwide Communion. It was hosted by Bishop of Lesotho, the Rt Revd Vicentia Kgabe who is a current student on the school’s Canon Law LLM.

Director of the Centre for Law and Religion, Professor Norman Doe was consulted by the bishops and lawyers of the Anglican Communion on the development of the principles of canon law over a period of two decades and he was among those who spoke at the launch. He originally suggested and drafted the principles of the first version which was launched at the Lambeth Conference in 2008

In a foreword to this new edition, the Archbishop of Canterbury has described the principles as “absolutely essential” and “not only for lawyers, but for all those who seek to understand the different influences on the complex ecosystem that is the Anglican Communion.”

In addition to host and current student, Rt Revd Vicentia Kgabe, the event was also attended by Revd Russell Dewhurst who is a current doctoral student and fellow of the Centre, who chaired the Revision Committee.

The Principles of Canon Law Common to the Churches of the Anglican Communion is published by the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and the new edition reflects the fruitful collaboration between the ACC, the Ecclesiastical Law Society and the Centre for Law and Religion at Cardiff University’s School of Law and Politics.