LIVERPOOL’S Christian leaders were made honorary doctors of divinity at Liverpool Hope University’s graduation celebration yesterday.
The awards were presented in recognition of Archbishop Patrick Kelly’s silver jubilee year and Bishop James Jones’s 10th anniversary of being Bishop of Liverpool.
Hope also handed honours to Cherie Booth – former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s wife – and Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk.
Both the church leaders serve as the university’s co-presidents.
Archbishop Kelly said it was a “very special day”. He added he was especially grateful to receive the doctorate as he never finished a theology PhD he was studying for while at the Gregorian University in Rome.
He was researching Robert Isaac Wilberforce – anti-slavery MP William Wilberforce’s son – who died while studying to become a priest.
But, due to an illness in his family, the archbishop was unable to complete the paper.
