I was watching a programme on TV last night called "Who do you think
you are?" and it mentioned a nineteenth century clergyman who had been
awarded a Lambeth MA in about 1840. This has stirred me into trying to
find out a bit more about Lambeth degrees. If anyone knows anything,
it would be good to share it with the group.

Are Lambeth degrees only awarded to the clergy or can they be awarded
to the laity?  

Are there any well known lay people who have been granted a Lambeth
degree?

What subjects are available apart from theology?

Are Lambeth degrees only granted honoris causa or can you study for
one?

The programme I watched last night said the Archbishop of Canterbury
started awarding degrees in about 1533 but it seemed to indicate that
they were given as special honours to worthy clergymen.

-- 
Alasdair.

Alasdair wrote:
> 
> .... If anyone knows anything,
> it would be good to share it with the group.

Since there is (I'm quite sure) someone who does know something and
since they would (I'm quite sure) share _this_, I'll mention it on
behalf of that unknown person:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambeth_degrees.

-- 
He is not here; but far away
  The noise of life begins again
  And ghastly thro' the drizzling rain
On the bald street breaks the blank day.

Alasdair  wrote:

>I was watching a programme on TV last night called "Who do you think
>you are?" and it mentioned a nineteenth century clergyman who had been
>awarded a Lambeth MA in about 1840. This has stirred me into trying to
>find out a bit more about Lambeth degrees. If anyone knows anything,
>it would be good to share it with the group.

Frederick has already cited Wikipedia. You can read more about them on:

http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1025

>Are Lambeth degrees only awarded to the clergy or can they be awarded
>to the laity?  

There's a list of recent recipients on

http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1026

Not all are clergy, and not all the clergy are Anglican (e.g Rabbi Tony
Bayfield, while George Lovell is a retired Methodist minister in our
circuit). Bill Ives (Grayston Ives) is a composer of mainly church
music. Margaret Barker is a biblical scholar.

Alan

On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:54:34 +0100, Alan Zanker 
wrote:

>Frederick has already cited Wikipedia. You can read more about them on:
>
>http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1025
>
>>Are Lambeth degrees only awarded to the clergy or can they be awarded
>>to the laity?  
>
>There's a list of recent recipients on
>
>http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1026
>
>Not all are clergy, and not all the clergy are Anglican (e.g Rabbi Tony
>Bayfield, while George Lovell is a retired Methodist minister in our
>circuit). Bill Ives (Grayston Ives) is a composer of mainly church
>music. Margaret Barker is a biblical scholar.
>
>Alan

I have read these articles but I am still confused.  The Wikipedia
article says that Lambeth degrees are not merely honorary but
"substantive" whatever that may mean.  Would, for example, someone
with a Lambeth degree in medicine be allowed to practise as a doctor?

Most degrees are the culmination of a course of study or research at a
university.  The study or research requires the facilities of a
university such as academic library facilities, access to learned
journals on the Internet etc.  While Lambeth Palace has a library, I
rather think it is not an up-to-date academic one.  

I just wonder how the Archbishop expects people to prepare for Lambeth
degrees, especially the new ones of M.Litt and Ph.D.

--
Alasdair.

In article ,
 Alasdair  wrote:
>
> Would, for example, someone
> with a Lambeth degree in medicine be allowed to practise as a doctor?

That would depend on the General Medical Council, which licenses doctors 
in the UK. The G.M.C. provides provisional registration to all who have 
obtained a recognised medical qualification; in the unlikely event that 
Lambeth wanted to branch out into medicine, it would have to assure the 
G.M.C. that its assessment procedures were such that only those with a 
sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge of the subject were 
granted its diplomas. Lambeth would not have to be responsible for the 
teaching and the training, which could in theory be done anywhere, but 
it would have to ensure that its diplomates met G.M.C. criteria.

DA

On Fri, 15 Aug 2008, Alasdair wrote:

> 
> Most degrees are the culmination of a course of study or research at
> a university.  The study or research requires the facilities of a
> university such as academic library facilities, access to learned
> journals on the Internet etc.  While Lambeth Palace has a library, I
> rather think it is not an up-to-date academic one.
> 

Not sure that is relevant - the Open University confers degrees
without any implication as to the quality of its library


Robert
-- 
Links and things http://rmstar.blogspot.com/

On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:31:09 +0100, Robert Marshall
 wrote:

>Not sure that is relevant - the Open University confers degrees
>without any implication as to the quality of its library
>
>
>Robert

I'm not au fait with Open University procedures but I understand they
send out to their students lots of study materials.  I also understand
that their students have access to a great deal of relevant material
from the Internet.

In the case of London University external degrees, I believe that
students can use the London University library and many such students
get the tuition from institutions which provide courses for the London
external programmes and which have access to academic libraries.

I'm not aware that any institution provides courses leading to Lambeth
degrees but perhaps someone can prove me wrong.

--
Alasdair.

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008, Alasdair wrote:

> On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:31:09 +0100, Robert Marshall
>  wrote:
> 
>>Not sure that is relevant - the Open University confers degrees
>>without any implication as to the quality of its library
>>
>>
>>Robert
> 
> I'm not au fait with Open University procedures but I understand
> they send out to their students lots of study materials.  

Indeed - I was responding to your obsevation about libraries - Lambeth
are more like post graduate degrees where you aren't spoon fed
appropriate material - you have to go and do your own research

> I also understand that their students have access to a great deal of
> relevant material from the Internet.

And...? Here's google and you can subscibe via the internet to various
research sites - may cost money - but that goes with the course

> 
> In the case of London University external degrees, I believe that
> students can use the London University library and many such
> students get the tuition from institutions which provide courses for
> the London external programmes and which have access to academic
> libraries.

I'm sure that library access would be negotiable

> 
> I'm not aware that any institution provides courses leading to
> Lambeth degrees but perhaps someone can prove me wrong.
> 

I think this bit is unlikely, if you mean 'do this course and you'll
get the lambeth degree' Though my reading suggests it confers
recognition for a particular piece of pre-existing work. As the AoC
website says:

     A possible recipient does not apply for a degree himself but is
     nominated by someone who knows him and his work very well

Robert
-- 
Links and things http://rmstar.blogspot.com/

On 14 Aug, 13:37, Alasdair  wrote:
> I was watching a programme on TV last night called "Who do you think
> you are?" and it mentioned a nineteenth century clergyman who had been
> awarded a Lambeth MA in about 1840.

For those who missed it, the programme is repeated today, Thursday
14th August, BBC2, 7-8pm. The degree bit is about half way through.

Chris