Cyril Garbett
Encyclopedia
Cyril Forster Garbett GCVO PC (6 February 1875 – 31 December 1955) was an Anglican clergyman, and Archbishop of York
from 1942 until 1955.
in Surrey
, next to Aldershot
in Hampshire
, the son of the vicar
of Tongham. At the age of 11 he was sent up to Portsmouth Grammar School and thence to Keble College, Oxford
in 1894. At Oxford, he received a call to the ministry and moved to Cuddesdon Theological College to study theology
and prepare for ordination
.
Garbett was ordained in 1899 as a deacon
and was sent to be a curate
of St Mary's Portsea
, at which church he was ordained to the priesthood in 1901 and where he remained until 1919, after 1909 as its vicar. In 1911 he was joined at Portsea by the newly ordained George Armitage Chase
, who would later serve Garbett, on elevation to the episcopate, as examining chaplain.
From there he was consecrated as Bishop of Southwark
, where he remained until his translation as Bishop of Winchester
in 1932, before finally in 1942 he became Archbishop of York
.
, visiting both clergy and lay people in the towns he passed through. Although personally warm, he had a reputation as a firm disciplinarian with clergy in his dioceses.
Politically and theologically, he is best seen as a transitional figure between the Edwardian and modern periods of the Church of England. A staunch nationalist and royalist, he held an erastian view of the Church of England
clearly as a national church, and he held strongly traditional views of issues such as family relationships, sexual morality and corporal punishment
.
On the other hand, Garbett belonged to the generation which was comfortable with the idea of diversity in the Church of England, and had little patience for High Church
versus Low Church
struggles. He was a pioneer of the Ecumenical Movement, and during and after the Second World War travelled extensively, including to Communist Bloc countries. Although generally perceived as leaning rightwards politically, he was comfortable with the welfare state
which emerged during his Archiepiscopate.
His trip 19 – 28 September 1943, at the invitation of the Moscow Patriarchate, to Moscow where he was greeted by the newly installed Moscow Patriarch Sergiy (Stragorodskiy)
, was used by Stalin's
propaganda machine to spread falsehoods about religious freedom in the USSR: on the 24th, the New York Times quoted Archbishop Garbett as stating that "he was convinced that there was the fullest freedom of worship in the Soviet Union". However, during the Cold War
, Garbett denounced Communism as un-Christian and actively supported the British government line.
On 17 April 1944 Garbett featured on the cover of TIME magazine after he had been persuaded by the British Ministry of Information to go to the United States to discuss religious freedom in Russia. During this visit he stated "Marshall Stalin, being a great statesman, has recognised the power of religion."
Garbett's visit to Dublin where he met President De Valera was considered significant.
Garbett sat in the House of Lords
for many years as a Lord Spiritual
, and he took these duties as an erastian
very seriously. On his retirement he was offered and accepted a hereditary barony, but he died before this could be legally created. It is thought he was to take the title Baron Garbett of Tongham.
. Later that year, he underwent surgery, and spent the last months of his life in a convalescent home where he continued to write and correspond until his death, on New Year's Eve 1955.
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
from 1942 until 1955.
Early life
Garbett was born in the village of TonghamTongham
Tongham is a small Surrey village located close to the north-east Hampshire and Surrey border. The village lies in a triangle between the A31 and the A331. Neighbouring villages include Ash and Badshot Lea....
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, next to Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, the son of the vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Tongham. At the age of 11 he was sent up to Portsmouth Grammar School and thence to Keble College, Oxford
Keble College, Oxford
Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall...
in 1894. At Oxford, he received a call to the ministry and moved to Cuddesdon Theological College to study theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and prepare for ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
.
Garbett was ordained in 1899 as a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
and was sent to be a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of St Mary's Portsea
Portsea
Portsea is an area of the English city of Portsmouth, located on Portsea Island, within the ceremonial county of Hampshire.The area was originally known as the Common and lay between the town of Portsmouth and the nearby Dockyard. The Common started to be developed at the end of the seventeenth...
, at which church he was ordained to the priesthood in 1901 and where he remained until 1919, after 1909 as its vicar. In 1911 he was joined at Portsea by the newly ordained George Armitage Chase
George Armitage Chase
George Armitage Chase MC was Bishop of Ripon and Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge.He served as an army chaplain in the first world war and was decorated with the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in helping the wounded at Ypres on 4 October 1917.The son of Frederic Henry Chase, George...
, who would later serve Garbett, on elevation to the episcopate, as examining chaplain.
From there he was consecrated as Bishop of Southwark
Bishop of Southwark (Anglican)
The Bishop of Southwark is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Southwark in the Province of Canterbury.Until 1877, Southwark had been part of the Diocese of Winchester when it was transferred to the Diocese of Rochester...
, where he remained until his translation as Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
in 1932, before finally in 1942 he became Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
.
Archbishop of York
Garbett was popular public figure, especially as a pastoral Bishop, famous for trudging the length of his dioceses and Archdiocese with his walking stickWalking stick
A walking stick is a device used by many people to facilitate balancing while walking.Walking sticks come in many shapes and sizes, and can be sought by collectors. Some kinds of walking stick may be used by people with disabilities as a crutch...
, visiting both clergy and lay people in the towns he passed through. Although personally warm, he had a reputation as a firm disciplinarian with clergy in his dioceses.
Politically and theologically, he is best seen as a transitional figure between the Edwardian and modern periods of the Church of England. A staunch nationalist and royalist, he held an erastian view of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clearly as a national church, and he held strongly traditional views of issues such as family relationships, sexual morality and corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
.
On the other hand, Garbett belonged to the generation which was comfortable with the idea of diversity in the Church of England, and had little patience for High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
versus Low Church
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
struggles. He was a pioneer of the Ecumenical Movement, and during and after the Second World War travelled extensively, including to Communist Bloc countries. Although generally perceived as leaning rightwards politically, he was comfortable with the welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
which emerged during his Archiepiscopate.
His trip 19 – 28 September 1943, at the invitation of the Moscow Patriarchate, to Moscow where he was greeted by the newly installed Moscow Patriarch Sergiy (Stragorodskiy)
Patriarch Sergius I of Moscow
Patriarch Sergius I , – May 15, 1944) was the 12th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, from September 8, 1943 until his death. He was also the de facto head of the Russian Orthodox Church as Patriarchal locum tenens in 1925-1943.-Early life:...
, was used by Stalin's
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
propaganda machine to spread falsehoods about religious freedom in the USSR: on the 24th, the New York Times quoted Archbishop Garbett as stating that "he was convinced that there was the fullest freedom of worship in the Soviet Union". However, during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, Garbett denounced Communism as un-Christian and actively supported the British government line.
On 17 April 1944 Garbett featured on the cover of TIME magazine after he had been persuaded by the British Ministry of Information to go to the United States to discuss religious freedom in Russia. During this visit he stated "Marshall Stalin, being a great statesman, has recognised the power of religion."
Garbett's visit to Dublin where he met President De Valera was considered significant.
Garbett sat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
for many years as a Lord Spiritual
Lords Spiritual
The Lords Spiritual of the United Kingdom, also called Spiritual Peers, are the 26 bishops of the established Church of England who serve in the House of Lords along with the Lords Temporal. The Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian, is not represented by spiritual peers...
, and he took these duties as an erastian
Thomas Erastus
Thomas Erastus was a Swiss physician and theologian best known for a posthumously published work in which he argued that the sins of Christians should be punished by the state, and not by the church withholding the sacraments...
very seriously. On his retirement he was offered and accepted a hereditary barony, but he died before this could be legally created. It is thought he was to take the title Baron Garbett of Tongham.
Final years
Garbett continued to work ferociously into his late seventies, which eventually took its toll. On his eightieth birthday, 6 February 1955, he retired from active ministry and was created a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
. Later that year, he underwent surgery, and spent the last months of his life in a convalescent home where he continued to write and correspond until his death, on New Year's Eve 1955.