Ugandan born Archbishop of York John Sentamu is retiring today before his 71st birthday. Credit: Charlotte Graham/Charlotte Graham.
Pastor Robert Kayanja’s elder brother, Dr John Sentamu retires this weekend after 15 years as the Archbishop of York and Church of England’s second most senior figure.
The 70-year-old is expected to deliver his final sermon on Sunday, reflecting on his life, including his early days in Uganda under dictator Idi Amin.
As Uganda Christian News revealed earlier, Dr Sentamu, will be succeeded by Stephen Cottrell, the current Bishop of Chelmsford, London next month.
Sentamu’s sermon will run live across the BBC local radio network in a service led by his daughter, the Rev Grace Sentamu-Baverstock.
“Now it is time to open a new chapter in my life and I welcome the opportunity during these strange times to share some reflections, readings, songs and prayers with listeners of local radio,” he told the BBC.
During an exclusive interview with the Yorkshire newspaper, Dr Sentamu revealed that he turns 71 on Wednesday – and due to the the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, there will be no public farewell celebration in the Minster.
It will, he told The Yorkshire newspaper, be “very private”. “It is the sign you have handed over the spiritualities of the cathedral to the Queen which will be picked up by my successor when they go to pay homage to Her Majesty,” he explained.
Dr Sentamu noted that the role of Archbishop opened many doors for him – but the burden of office had become a heavy one and he come to terms with retirement.
The Guardian reports that as an archbishop, Sentamu’s priorities have included the renewal of discipleship in the Anglican church, advocacy for the poor and the need for a living wage, investment in young people and equipping the church to rediscover its confidence in talking about Jesus. Combined with this have been public acts which have sought to draw attention to injustice and highlight its remedies.
“It is Sentamu’s strengths as an evangelist and his easy ability to connect with people that have propelled him through the hierarchy,” British Anglican priest and solicitor Arun Arora remarked.
“A close attention to where he believes his faith is leading him, enabled through daily prayer, has led Sentamu to acts of public symbolism, most famously cutting up his dog collar live on air to highlight the abuses being carried out by the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe. He also set up a tent for a week in York Minster in order to fast and pray for peace in the Middle East,” he added.
Years back, during an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Dr John Sentamu urged Britain politicians should not overrule the Bible and tradition by allowing same-sex marriage.
“Marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman,” said Dr Sentamu then. “I don’t think it is the role of the state to define what marriage is. It is set in tradition and history and you can’t just [change it] overnight, no matter how powerful you are.
“We’ve seen dictators do it in different contexts and I don’t want to redefine very clear social structures that have been in existence for a long time and then overnight the state believes it could go in a particular way.
“It’s almost like somebody telling you that the Church, whose job is to worship God [will be] an arm of the Armed Forces. They must take arms and fight. You’re completely changing tradition,” he said that time.
On Salvation: Dr Sentamu and Robert Kayanja
During Dr Sentamu’s appearance at Miracle Centre Cathedral – Rubaga in August 2017, Pastor Robert Kayanja said it was the retiring Archbishop who opened the door to his salvation when he told him about Jesus.
“He gave me a book with a Billy Graham and David Frost interview. I did not know Graham by then, but I later came to love him and to dedicate my heart to Jesus.”
Brief Profile
Born: John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu, 10 June 1949, near Kampala, Uganda.
Family: The sixth of 13 children. Married in 1973, he and his wife Margaret have a daughter and a son.
Education: Read theology up to PhD level at Selwyn College, Cambridge.
Career: Practised law in the High Court of Uganda before fleeing to Britain in 1974 due to persecution under Idi Amin’s regime. Studied theology at Cambridge and was ordained in 1979. Rose through the Church of England, serving in parishes in Cambridge and London. Appointed Bishop of Stepney in 1996. Advised on the Stephen Lawrence inquiry and chaired the Damilola Taylor review in 2002. Before being appointed Archbishop of York in 2005, he had been Bishop of Birmingham since 2002.
