Gordon's School welcomes the Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend Justin Welby, was welcomed to Gordon’s on Sunday, bringing to a close the Big Questions events in the Diocese of Guildford.

During the weekend he addressed local communities throughout the Guildford Diocese in schools, churches and a football stadium, making 11 visits, during which audiences were given the chance to hear him speak on how to find security and hope in uncertain times. They were also given the opportunity to ask him questions.

Greeted in true Gordon’s style by the school’s Pipes and Drums, the Archbishop spoke to over 200 people in the school’s sport’s hall on a wide-range of topics including how to make the church more attractive to non-believers. A student asked what their response should be to their peers who claim the Bible is a fairy tale.

No question was ‘off limits’ and the Archbishop spoke candidly about his identity and why there is suffering, drawing from personal experience.

In answer to what he would have changed about his response to COVID, Archbishop Justin said that should a similar situation arise, he would keep churches open and release clergy from their duties in their Diocese to help in hospital chapels.

He spoke of the ‘’extraordinary work’’ of lay people during the pandemic and pointed out that as well as upskilling and moving online, parishes across England had carried out 32,000 social projects in response to the situation. “The church has risen to the challenge”, he said, adding: “At parish level, in every community, the church was extraordinary”.

Gordon’s Headmaster Andrew Moss said afterwards: “We were honoured to welcome the Archbishop and members of the local community to Gordon’s for what was a stimulating and fascinating event.”