A
healthy dose of reality
The recent revelation
that our Anglican Archbishop, Justin Welby, is the illegitimate son of Sir Anthony Montague Browne has all the ingredients for a global scandal.
After all, it has elements of sex, booze, high society, beautiful women, political
power and religion. Yet the public face of some 77 million Anglicans worldwide
has deftly deflated the story by resorting to good old fashioned honesty and,
yes, holiness.
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| Lady Williams |
Honesty is the best
policy
For starters, his 86-year-old mother, a
recovering alcoholic who hasn’t touch a drop in decades, deftly took the wind
out of the yellow-press sails. Lady
Williams of Elvel, a former magistrate and a
deputy lieutenant for Greater London, said in an interview: “Naturally, my son
has deserved an explanation and I have been as open as I can.”
She went on to reveal that, “fuelled by a large amount of
alcohol on both sides”, she and Sir Anthony had slept together only days before
her “very sudden marriage” to Gavin Welby, a
whisky salesman with social aspirations.
Because our archbishop was born nine
months after that wedding he was presumed to have been a honeymoon baby. So mother
and son would have been shocked by the paternity news but there was no attempt by
either to dodge the issue.
An
uncomplicated response
The Telegraph broke the story and a
senior journalist reveals that, when he approached the archbishop with
circumstantial evidence that had been garnered, Justin Welby’s uncomplicated reaction
was “why don’t we do a DNA test?’ A
saliva swab was taken from inside his cheek.
Lady Montague Browne, Sir Anthony’s widow and a former
personal assistant to Churchill’s wife, readily produced a hair from her
deceased husband’s hairbrush for the other half of the DNA test.
It appears that she had long suspected that he was Justin
Welby’s father. She told The Telegraph
that, many years earlier, her then husband had teasingly said: “I’m told I have
a son… you’ll find out one day.”
Moreover, when Archbishop Justin’s appointment was
announced her son from a previous marriage (seems the aristocracy and Elizabeth
Taylor have multi-matrimony in common) began discussing with Sir Anthony how
uncannily alike they looked.
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| Sir Anthony Montague Browne |
The old man was in a care home at the time and they spoke
in French to avoid being overheard.
Separately, Jane Hoare-Temple, the daughter of Sir
Anthony and his first wife, Noel, had concluded that there must be a family
connection because the Archbishop was “the spitting image of my father”. (Add a half-sister to the already interesting
equation)
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| Archbishop Justin Welby |
True leaders don’t duck
It all makes for a great story but I
believe history will underscore the archbishop’s response rather that the juicy gossip.
I’ll treat you to his statement in
full:-
In the last month I have discovered that my biological
father is not Gavin Welby but, in fact, the late Sir Anthony Montague Browne.
This comes as a complete surprise.
My mother (Jane Williams) and father (Gavin Welby) were
both alcoholics. My mother has been in recovery since 1968, and has not touched
alcohol for over 48 years. I am enormously proud of her.
My father (Gavin Welby) died as a result of the alcohol
and smoking in 1977 when I was 21.
As a result of my parents’ addictions my early life was
messy, although I had the blessing and gift of a wonderful education, and was
cared for deeply by my grandmother, my mother once she was in recovery, and my
father (Gavin Welby) as far as he was able.
I have had a life of great blessing and wonderful
support, especially from Caroline and our children, as well as a great many
wonderful friends and family.
My own experience is typical of many people. To find that
one's father is other than imagined is not unusual. To be the child of families
with great difficulties in relationships, with substance abuse or other
matters, is far too normal.
By the grace of God, found in Christian faith, through
the NHS, through Alcoholics Anonymous and through her own very remarkable
determination and effort, my mother has lived free of alcohol, has a very happy
marriage, and has contributed greatly to society as a probation officer, member
of the National Parole Board, Prison Visitor and with involvement in penal
reform.
She has also played a wonderful part in my life and in
the lives of my children and now grandchildren, as has my stepfather whose
support and encouragement has been generous, unstinting and unfailing.
This revelation has, of course, been a surprise, but in
my life and in our marriage Caroline and I have had far worse. I know that I
find who I am in Jesus Christ, not in genetics, and my identity in him never
changes. Even more importantly my role as Archbishop makes me constantly aware
of the real and genuine pain and suffering of many around the world, which
should be the main focus of our prayers.
Although there are elements of sadness, and even tragedy
in my father's (Gavin Welby’s) case, this is a story of redemption and hope
from a place of tumultuous difficulty and near despair in several lives. It is
a testimony to the grace and power of Christ to liberate and redeem us, grace
and power which is offered to every human being.
At the very outset of my inauguration service three years ago, Evangeline Kanagasooriam, a young member of the Canterbury Cathedral congregation, said: “We greet you in the name of Christ. Who are you, and why do you request entry?” To which I responded: “I am Justin, a servant of Jesus Christ, and I come as one seeking the grace of God to travel with you in His service together.” What has changed? Nothing!
Cheated by death
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| Sir Winston Churchill |
Father and son had met within the Churchill circle. when Archbishop Justin was still a boy. Poignantly, when the archbishop was appointed in 2013, his father asked to see him but died before that could happen.
Sir Anthony Arthur Duncan Montague Browne KCMG
CBE DFC was a decorated war time pilot and diplomat who was private secretary
to Sir Winston Churchill for the last ten years of the latter's life.
Gavin
Welby, who died of a heart attack in 1977, also served in the Second World War
but later “promoted” himself from lieutenant to captain A social climber, he’d changed
his name from Weiler to Welby and dated John F Kennedy’s sister Pat as well as
the actress Vanessa Redgrave. The Gatsby-like character stood for the UK Parliament
twice and never revealed a short-lived marriage to an American heiress.
The
archbishop would later describe him as “a complicated man” but “really, really
brilliant”. Notably, he honours Gavin Welby in his statement and once remarked
that if his presumed father had been honest about his life, it would have been “a
fantastic story” of overcoming setbacks.
Two very different
‘fathers’. No doubt our archbishop is the sum of both parts and I love how real
he is.
Lessons in identity
It
appears that he hinted at the dramatic revelations to come when he spoke in
Zambia to a gathering of young people from across Africa two days
before the news broke.
Addressing the question of personal identity on the eve of the Anglican Consultative
Council meeting, he told them: “We need to be a church where I am who I am
because I am in Jesus Christ. That’s the only thing that gives me identity and
you will see why I am saying that in a couple days’ time."
Since
that dramatic disclosure Archbishop Welby has been widely praised by faith
leaders, Coptic, Jewish and Catholic alike for the dignity, grace and
forgiveness with which he greeted the revelation.
For my part I’m immensely relieved
that the Church scrapped the rule that barred an illegitimate man
from becoming archbishop. That particular Canon was around for hundreds of
years so perhaps there is hope for a couple of others to be trashed.
