Dr Dunstan awarded prize by Archbishop of Canterbury

2019-04-10

On 4 April 2019 a St Edmund’s Fellow was awarded the Dunstan Award for Prayer and the Religious Life by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace. Dr Petà Dunstan, so as to avoid potential accusations of divine intervention from the ancestors, assured us quickly that she was no immediate relation to the St Dunstan after whom the award is named. In fact, the decision to grant her this award is based on a lifetime of work. In short, it has recognised her recent scholarly work with religious communities, which rests on a foundation of 30 years in academia and is supported by various trustee and committee activities that led to her receiving the award.

Excerpts of the award citation can be found below:

“Petà Dunstan is the foremost academic working in the field of Anglican Religious Communities of our generation. Without her unique and invaluable contributions, much of the recent history of Anglican Communities could have been lost. …
“At a time of great change and significant growth in Anglican religious communities, the depth of her knowledge and understanding, as well as her obvious passion and commitment, constitute a unique and indispensable resource for the counsels of the Church.”