Editing Thomas Secker (section)

==Career==
In 1724, he became [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]] of [[Houghton-le-Spring]], [[County Durham|Durham]], resigning in 1727 on his appointment to the rectory of [[Holy Cross Church, Ryton|Holy Cross Church]], [[Ryton, Tyne and Wear|Ryton, County Durham]], and to a [[Canon (priest)|canonry]] of Durham. He became rector of [[St James's Church, Piccadilly|St James's Westminster]] in 1733 and [[Bishop of Bristol]] in 1735. About this time [[George II of Great Britain|George II]] commissioned him to arrange a reconciliation between the [[Frederick, Prince of Wales|Prince of Wales]] and himself, but the attempt was unsuccessful.<ref name="EB1911"/>

In 1737, he became the [[Bishop of Oxford]] and then the [[Dean of St Paul's|Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, London]], in 1750. On 21 April 1758, a month after the death of his predecessor, he became [[Archbishop of Canterbury]].<ref name="EB1911"/>

His advocacy of an [[Episcopal Church (United States)|American episcopate]], in connection with which he wrote the ''Answer'' to [[Jonathan Mayhew]]'s ''Observations on the Charter and Conduct of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts'' (London 1764), raised considerable opposition in England and America.<ref name="EB1911"/>