Magna Carta owes its existence to the Church, report says
Medieval Christianity – and the then Archbishop of Canterbury – played a vital but forgotten role in one of the most important documents that formed human rights in this country, a new report says today.
As we celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta on 15 June, it argues the role of the Church and in particular Stephen Langton has been overlooked – yet without their support for the charter, the events of 1215 could have become nothing more than “a failed rebellion” the report concludes.
The analysis, published by Theos, the religion and society think tank comes as more than one hundred people prepare to gather at Parliament to commemorate Christianity’s role at an event hosted by former Attorney General Dominic Grieve.
“Magna Carta is often treated like a quasi-religious document in itself – but this is ironic as religion, specifically mediaeval Christianity and the Church played a key role in its creation and survival,” says Nick Spencer, research director of Theos.”
The first clause of the Magna Carta guarantees the freedom of the church, and the ideas of lawfulness, of accountability, of access to justice, even of the extension of rights to “all free men” are all drawn from the world of mediaeval theology.
In practical terms, Archbishop Stephen Langton played a key role in negotiations between the king and barons at Runnymede; and when the pope demanded the excommunications of the barons who had made demands on the king, Langton refused.
Langton has also been suggested as one of the early authors of the charter; the fact the first clause relates to independence of the Church, shows Langton’s foresight – granting the Church’s independence in perpetuity, meaning that the Church had a huge investment in making it succeed.
As a result, says the report “the Church would go on to throw its considerable weight behind the Great Charter. Without that crucial contribution, there is a very real possibility that 2015 would mark the 800th anniversary of nothing more than a failed rebellion.”
Notes to editors
1. For hard copies of the report or interviews with the authors, please contact Glenda Cooper - 
press@theosthinktank.co.uk or 07736481017
2. The Church and the Charter: Christianity and the Forgotten Roots of Magna Carta by Thomas Andrew can be accessed at https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/publications/2015/05/01/the-church-and-the-charter
3. Magna Carta, Christianity and the Future of Liberty event with Nick Spencer (Theos), Prof Julian Rivers (University of Bristol) and Baroness Berridge, and chaired by Rt Hon Dominic Grieve MP will be held on Monday 15th June 2015, 7-8.30pm, the Attlee Suite, Portcullis House. For more details please email james.lee@parliament.uk
4. Theos is a religion and society think tank which offers research and commentary on issues of faith and belief. It was launched in November 2006 with the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and the former Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. For further information about Theos, visit www.theosthinktank.co.uk
