A THEOLOGIAN who specialises in Jewish-Christian-Muslim relations has been appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury’s adviser for reconciliation.

Sarah Snyder is currently director of partnerships at Religions for Peace International, an organisation affiliated to the UN. A trained mediator, she is also a member of the interfaith programme at the University of Cambridge, where she directs summer schools, and co-ordinates the programme of scriptural reasoning, bringing together Jews, Christians, and Muslims. She is founding director of the Rose Castle Foundation in Cumbria, an international centre of reconciliation, and collaborates with St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in the City of London. Prior to theological training, she was an anthropologist, and documentary producer for the BBC, and has lived and worked with nomadic people in Africa, Bangladesh, Peru, and Bolivia.

A statement from Lambeth Palace said that her post would have a particular emphasis on “supporting the Church in contexts of violent conflict or post-conflict, and helping the Church to be an agent of reconciliation and conflict-transformation”. She will be part of the senior team at Lambeth Palace, while also being based at Coventry Cathedral.

Sarah Snyder takes over from David Porter, who is now the Archbishop’s chief of staff and strategy. She will take up the post in September.