The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin
Welby, has announced the imminent arrival of two new senior staff
members at Lambeth Palace. The Revd Dr Will Adam is to be the Archbishop’s ecumenical adviser while Ruth Mawhinney is to become the new head of media relations.
Veteran journalist Jonathan Petre had previously been announced as the new head of media relations, but withdrew his acceptance of the post and will remain as religion correspondent with the Mail on Sunday.
Dr Adam’s new role is a combined post: he will also serve as the ecumenical officer for the Church of England’s Council of Christian Unity (CCU).
“I am delighted that Will Adam will be bringing his considerable experience and expertise to this post,” Archbishop Justin said. “His understanding of both national and international ecumenism will be a real asset to the work at Lambeth and at CCU. There are wonderful opportunities in ecumenism in these times, and we must always strive to be obedient to Jesus’ desire that his Church ‘may be one.’”
Speaking of Ruth Mawhinney’s appointment, the archbishop said: “I am delighted that Ruth will be joining our communications team at Lambeth Palace. As an experienced journalist and practicing Christian, she will understand the unique and guiding role that faith can play in both personal and professional life.”
Dr Adam has extensive ecumenical experience. He was a Church of England member of the Joint Implementation Group – a co-ordinating body set up under the Anglican-Methodist Covenant; and a delegate to the World Council of Churches’ Assembly in Harare. He has previously worked as a diocesan ecumenical officer with responsibility for links between the diocese and a church of the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland – the Evangelical Church of Germany – which is linked with the Church of England through the Meissen Agreement. He is a member of the International Colloquium of Anglican and Roman Catholic Canon Lawyers and chair of his local Churches Together ecumenical group.
“I am delighted to be taking up this post,” Dr Adam said. “My commitment to the reconciliation of Christ's church goes back to my early student days. I am looking forward to supporting the Archbishop and the wider Church of England in ecumenical mission and ministry in the coming years.”
Ruth Mawhinney is currently the editor of the online news site Christian Today. She began her journalistic career on the Baptist Times before becoming deputy editor and then editor of Christianity magazine.
“I’m thrilled to be taking up this role and joining the excellent team at Lambeth Palace,” she said. “In this time of global uncertainty I believe Archbishop Justin Welby provides a much-needed voice of hope and reason. I'm also looking forward to using the skills gained in my years as a journalist and editor to help the archbishop communicate his three priorities of evangelism, prayer and reconciliation.”