Archbishops Colin Johnson, Daniel Sarfo and Daniel Deng Bul; Canons Isaac Kawuki-Mukasa and Rachel Mash; and Bishop Luke Pato amongst recipients of Lambeth Awards in 2021.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has announced the recipients of the 2021 Lambeth Awards. The awards, which recognise outstanding contributions to the Church and wider society, have been given to more than 30 individuals. They include scientists, musicians, academics, activists, peacemakers, doctors and clergy.

One of the awards in the suite of Lambeth Awards is the Cross of St Augustine, which is given to recognise service to the Anglican Communion. Archbishop Colin Johnson and Canon Isaac Kawuki-Mukasa were both given this award “for extraordinary efforts and leadership in sustaining communion through initiating ongoing dialogue amongst Bishops across the Anglican Communion – especially Canada, Africa, UK and the US – following Lambeth 2008 through to 2020”, the Awards citations said.

At the Lambeth Conference in 2008, Archbishop Johnson and Canon Kawuki-Mukasa initiated a reception for Canadian and African bishops with an invitation to meet and greet one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Out of that event grew 11 years of annual gatherings of bishops from Africa, Canada, England and the US in which “learning, worship, dialogue and discussion deepened relationships and opened the eyes of each to the other”, the Award citation said. “Bishops discovered their common commitment to the ministry and mission of Jesus Christ even if it found different expressions in unique contexts.”

Canon Dr Rachel Mash was also given the Cross of St Augustine for “raising awareness of, and the urgent need to implement, the Fifth Mark of Mission in the Anglican Communion”. The Fifth Mark of Mission is “to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.”

Working with the steering committee of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network, Dr Mash was instrumental in organising the first Eco-Bishops’ Conference. A further Conference for Eco-Bishops of Africa led to “An Urgent Cry for Ecological Justice; Reclaiming the Gospel Imperative for All Creation” and a call for climate change to be high on the agenda of the next Lambeth Conference.

Bishop Luke Pato was awarded the Cross of St Augustine “for outstanding lifelong service to the Church and society through Theological Education as well as in Ecumenical Relations”. Since his consecration and installation as Bishop of Namibia in 2016, “his leadership, theological acumen and pastoral approach have endeared him to the people of the Diocese, brining stability to the Church in Namibia”, the Award citation said. Bishop Pato was nominated in recognition of his “outstanding and faithful ministry in the Church, especially his leadership and administrative skills in ground-breaking and difficult situations; his sensitive work as a reconciler and bridge-builder between Church and society.” The citation said that “he has rendered illustrious service and dedication to Church and society; in his ecumenical service on behalf of the Anglican Church; and his work of peace, justice and reconciliation.”

Archbishop Daniel Sarfo also received the Cross of St Augustine, for “an outstanding and selfless contribution over 40 years to the life and witness of churches of the Anglican Communion, especially in West Africa and specifically Ghana.” He was ordained to the priesthood in 1980 and started as Chaplain and teacher at the St Monica Training College. He served as an Anglican Chaplain in the Ghana Armed Forces, rising to the rank of Major, until his honourable release when elected, consecrated and enthroned as the third Diocesan Bishop of Kumasi in 1999.

He served in this position until his election and installation as Archbishop of the Internal province of Ghana and the Church of the Province of West Africa in 2012. “Archbishop Daniel’s commitment to and support for the ministry and work of the Church in Africa go well beyond the Anglican Communion, making him an exceptional, if unofficial, ambassador for the positive contribution the Communion makes to the life of the Church,” his citation said.

The former Primate of the Episcopal Church of Sudan (which became the Episcopal Church of Sudan and South Sudan; before adopting its current identity as the Episcopal Church of South Sudan), Archbishop Danial Deng Bul, received the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation.

The President of South Sudan, President Salva Kiir, appointed Archbishop Deng to chair a high-level committee tasked with mediating peace and bringing reconciliation between the government of South Sudan and rebels led by George Athor. The citation for his award explains that Archbishop Deng “risked his life and decided to go to the bush to meet George Athor, in order to convince him to accept peace and allow a referendum to be conducted peacefully for the sake of innocent South Sudanese citizens. Within a short period, Archbishop Daniel Deng managed to negotiate and convinced the two sides to accept peace. This peace in turn led to the peaceful and successful conduct of the referendum vote in South Sudan.”

In April 2013 he was again appointed to lead the National Reconciliation Committee. “He travelled in the most dangerous parts of South Sudan to reconcile communities and tribes. This work resulted in various successful tribal and inter-communal conflict resolutions and reconciliation. He also made efforts to engage the leading rival political leaders of the country to reconcile with one another and bring peace to their suffering citizens”, the citation says.

Commenting on the whole suite of awards, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said: “During the pandemic, we have seen just how vital the contribution of churches is to the fabric of our society. As well as finding creative ways to worship together safely, churches have been feeding the hungry, reaching out to the lonely and offering hope to those struggling in the midst of the crisis.

“This year’s Lambeth Awards recipients, not all of whom are Christians, embody this spirit of service – not just during the pandemic but, for many of them, through decades of faithful work. I commend them and their efforts, and look forward to the time when we meet to celebrate their contributions to society.”

Archbishops of Canterbury have long recognised outstanding individuals for their efforts, and the current form of the Lambeth Awards was developed in 2016.

The recipients of the 2021 Lambeth Awards are: 

Cross of St Augustine for services to the Anglican Communion

• Archbishop Colin Johnson
• The Revd Canon Dr Isaac Kawuki-Mukasa
• Canon Rachel Mash
• Bishop Luke Lungile Pato
• The Most Revd Daniel Yinkah Sarfo

The Canterbury Cross for Services to the Church of England

• Sir Christopher Clarke
• Charles George QZ
• The Revd Dr Brendan McCarthy
• The Revd Professor Gina Radford
• Caroline Spencer

The Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation

• The Most Revd Danial Deng Bul
• Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko
• The late Archbishop Paolino Lukudu Loro
• Catriona Robertson
• Umesh Chander Sharma
• Ms Sarwat Tasneem

The Langton Award for Community Service

• Dave Bagley MBE
• Esmé Page
• Dr Hilary Russell
• Hany Abadir Shafik
• The late Bishop Ellinah Wamukoya

The Thomas Cranmer Award for Worship

• Kerry Beaumont
• Rupert Lang, BMus, MA (Cantab)

The Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship

• Professor Kwok Pui-lan
• The Revd Peter Laurence OAM

The Alphege Award for Evangelism and Witness

• Isaac Borquaye, more commonly known as Guvna B
• Dr John Bowen
• The Revd Richard Coles
• Pippa Cramer
• The Revd Bassi Mirzania
• The Revd Omid Moludy
• Bishop David Pytches
• Mr Desmond Arnold Scott

The Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism

• The Revd Aidan Harker
• Bruce Kent and Dr Valerie Flessati

The Dunstan Award for Prayer and Spirituality

• The Revd Philip D Roderick