(Reuters) Church panel under pressure to name new Anglican leader

Posted by Kendall Harmon

The succession talks are shrouded in secrecy, but commentators speculate that the panel is split over choosing a reformer or a safe pair of hands to maintain the status quo in a post that dates back 1,400 years.

Members were expected to reach a decision in September and pass two names - their first choice and a back-up - to Prime Minister David Cameron, who then seeks the approval of The Queen, the church's supreme governor.

Williams leaves to take up a role at the University of Cambridge at the turn of the year and his successor would normally be expected to give his diocese notice of his departure and be given time to move. One unnamed church source told a Sunday newspaper that the process was "becoming a farce".

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Archbishop of Canterbury • Anglican Provinces • Church of England (CoE) • CoE Bishops • * Culture-Watch • Religion & Culture • * International News & Commentary • England / UK

1 Comments
Posted October 28, 2012 at 6:10 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. MichaelA wrote:

“It is not quite as Machiavellian as a papal conclave, but it has its moments.”

But at least Popes are elected by a college of cardinals drawn from all over the Roman Catholic world.  In CofE we have the absurd situation where 6 out of the 16 electors are drawn from the diocese of Canterbury, having little in common with the majority of Anglicans in England, let alone anyone in the wider communion.

Anyway, whatever their background, the members of the CNC have to face the uncomfortable truth that their church is in decline and riven by irreconcilable differences - and the differences among the liberals are as strong as the differences between them and the orthodox.  No wonder they can’t make a decision!

On the positive side, its probably not going to make much difference whom they choose - most of the names being bandied about are likely to prove as useless as Rowan Williams has been.  So now that the deadline is fast upon them, they may as well draw two names out of a mitre and get it over with.

October 29, 8:57 pm | [comment link]
Registered members must log in to comment.



Next entry (above): New York, East Coast Begin to Shut Down in Face of Sandy

Previous entry (below): (BBC) How the Anglican Church is engaging with social media

Return to blog homepage

Return to Mobile view (headlines)