It took God six days to create the world.
So what? It's taking far longer to elect the next Archbishop of Canterbury. A new leader of the world's 80 million Anglicans is not expected to be installed until autumn. But the troubled process to choose the right person hangs over the General Synod as it meets in York today. Whoever gets the top job will have to deal with multiple crises, including
- criticism for its mishandling of historical sexual abuse;
- an existential split in its global communion; and
- the seemingly terminal decline of church attendance across England.
Resignation. Justin Welby announced he was stepping down in November over a safeguarding row concerning John Smyth, who abused as many as 130 boys in the UK and Africa starting in the 1970s. A review concluded Welby "could and should have done more" to stop Smyth.
Deliberation. His successor will be picked by the 17-member Crown Nominations Commission, a body headed by a former MI5 head. It met for the first time in May, and will convene again this month before a final meeting in September. The job description for the 106th Archbishop seeks a candidate who
- possesses "theological depth";
- is of the "utmost integrity"; and
- is happy to ordain both men and women, while also embracing those who support and those who oppose same-sex marriage within the church.
Slim pickings. Traditionally the Archbishop is chosen from the bishops of the church's 42 dioceses. But five of these are empty, two have just appointed new bishops and two have bishops nearing retirement. That leaves a pool of about 30.
In normal times, it's hard to find someone who ticks every box. It is basically three jobs in one to be a bishop in Canterbury, Primate of All England, and leader of the global communion. A 2001 review said it was actually six.
In these times, it's even harder. Many of the frontrunners have ruled themselves out, possibly fearing the intense public scrutiny the position now carries in the wake of the Smyth scandal.
- The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher, was seen as a potential Archbishop but was elected to the nomination commission, which prevents him from running.
- The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, is also on the commission and therefore ineligible. He has faced calls to resign from the Bishop of Newcastle over his past handling of another abuser around a decade ago.
Nolo episcopari. Andrew Graystone, a theologian and campaigner who wrote a book about the Smyth case, said that candidates know "their safeguarding record will be gone over with a fine-tooth comb, and lots of them wouldn't survive that".
Runners and riders. But favourites are emerging. They include Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Iranian-born Bishop of Chelmsford, whose family fled to the UK after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. If chosen she would be the first woman to lead the church in its 500-year history.
Division. That would be welcome among progressives but controversial in Nigeria, which has more Anglicans than England. The Church of Nigeria is against ordaining women as bishops, let alone appointing one to be first among equals.
Schism. This is just one part of the gulf pulling Anglicanism apart. When the Church of England voted in favour of blessing same-sex couples and ordaining gay clergy in 2023, churches in Sudan, Uganda and elsewhere stopped recognising the Archbishop of Canterbury as Anglicanism's titular head. It is thought that conservatives opposed to Prayers of Love and Faith may be vetoing candidates, who need to be approved by a two-thirds majority.
Timeline. The Catholic Church took two weeks to elect Pope Leo XIV, but Anglicanism has a more patient approach. The selection process is expected to take almost a year, around how long it took to enthrone Welby after his predecessor announced his resignation in 2012.
What's more… Some say Anglicanism's way of doing things is preferable to Catholicism's since it involves more consultation. But with the faith's divisions on full display, many bishops will regard Rome's short, snappy conclaves with envy.
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