Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie

Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie , 1921-2000, archbishop of Canterbury (1980-91). Bishop of St. Albans from 1970 to 1980, he was enthroned as the 102d archbishop of Canterbury in 1980, succeeding Donald Coggan. Runcie supported the ordination of women and other liberal Anglican positions and was often a critic of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher 's Conservative government. He also was noted for developing links with the Orthodox Eastern churches and the Roman Catholic Church and for his work on behalf of the Anglican ministry in Africa. Runcie was created a life peer in 1991.

Bibliography: See biographies by A. Hastings (1991) and H. Carpenter (1996).

Runcie, Robert Alexander Kennedy (1921–2000) English clergyman, Archbishop of Canterbury (1980–91). He was ordained in 1951, and became Bishop of St Albans in 1970. In 1982, during Pope John Paul II's historic trip to the UK, Runcie signed a pledge to move towards unity with the Roman Catholic Church. He was succeeded by George Carey.

Runcie, Robert Alexander Kennedy (1921–2000), Abp. of Canterbury, 1980–91. He had been Principal of Cuddesdon Theological College (1960–69) and Bp. of St Albans (1970–80). At his invitation John Paul II visited Canterbury in 1982, the first Pope to come to Britain since the Reformation. With Runcie's support, legislation allowing women to be made deacons in the C of E was passed in 1986. At the Lambeth Conference of 1988 he worked to avoid a split in the Anglican Communion over the ordination of women.