The Archbishop of Canterbury with Andrew and Sue Wheeler (Photo: © The Wheelers) Guildford Diocese's World Mission Advisor, the Rev Andrew Wheeler, has been granted the rare honour of a Doctor of Divinity degree from the Archbishop of Canterbury in recognition of his research into the Sudanese Church.
Just a handful of degrees are awarded each year in acknowledgement of academic work — and they also serve as a thanksgiving for distinguished service to the Church.
The Archbishop of Canterbury with some of those who received awards. Andrew Wheeler is on the far right. (Photo: © The Wheelers) Sudan is believed to be the only African country with a comprehensive and ecumenical account of its Christian history after years of research by Andrew — and others — culminated in the publication of 16 books.
One key volume,
Day of Devastation, Day of Contentment, The History of the Sudanese Church, is now not only a bedtime read for the Archbishop of Sudan, but has also been used by lawyers as far afield as Australia to defend Sudanese asylum seekers.
Andrew's passion for the subject was ignited in 1977 while working at a Bible College in southern Sudan when he was asked to teach ordinands the history of the Sudanese Church.
He agreed — before realising there was no literature to speak of on the subject.
He said: "I realised that I needed to go out and interview first-generation Christians and gather material. I tasked the students to do the same and sent them out to talk to senior pastors and church leaders.
"Bit by bit, together with the bits that were already written, I was able to piece together a course.
"Years later, with the encouragement of the Sudanese Church, I was given the opportunity to work full time on research and, together with an American colleague, put together a whole body of work on Christianity in Sudan.
"It's wonderful now that this is being used as a model and a group in Uganda is pulling research together in a similar way."
The Lambeth Degree is a real — not an honorary — degree, which is fitting as Andrew chose not to study for a PhD in the UK, fearing that any research would not be accessible for Sudanese Christians and scholars.
Andrew said: "It's amazing really to be recognised in this way. It came totally out of the blue."
Speaking to CMS, he added, "I feel it's a recognition of the Church in Sudan as well.
"When I looked down the list of similar awards in the past, they're all for very English concerns — to do with liturgy and church music and so on. I may have missed some, but I don't think that there were any to do with the world Church. I think it's a recognition of the affection in which the Church of Sudan is held."
"It's a great honour. What more can I say? I'm very pleased."
Andrew was awarded the degree in a ceremony at Lambeth Palace on 1 July.
Andy and Sue Wheeler are CMS mission partners in Britain and are based at St Saviour's Church, Guildford. They formerly served in Sudan.
CMS thanks The Wey , the Guildford diocesan newspaper, for permission to use material that appeared in its July/August 2008 edition.