After his address to the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican on Wednesday, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, was interviewed by Vatican Radio.
The Archbishop of Canterbury addressed the “Thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith”. The “new evangelization” is directed principally at those who, though baptized, have drifted away from the Church and live without reference to the Christian life.
One former member of the panel said the new Archbishop was being chosen by a process of elimination. Once a number of candidates have been chosen, they are ranked in order of preference by members in a blind vote. The name with the least votes drops out. The panel then votes again, and again, until one man has the 11 votes necessary for a two-thirds majority.
The abilities of Dr Williams have disguised, to a degree, some of these impossibilities. The cost is incalculable, being paid in decisions made too hastily, consultations unsought, mission opportunities declined, and, of course, personal wear and tear.
Three months before he is due to leave Lambeth Palace after nearly 10 years in office, Rowan Williams said that although he had certain regrets he believed the role necessitated outspoken interventions.
David Cameron may have to break the deadlock over the choice of the next Archbishop of Canterbury, according to a former member of the committee charged with nominating Rowan Williams’s successor. – Ruth Gledhill
If reports are correct, the commission, at the moment, seems to be focusing on three candidates, Bishop John Sentamu of York, Bishop Graham James of Norwich, who has said he is praying for someone else to get the job because he believes that at 62 he is too old for it, and Bishop Justin Welby of Durham, who has been a bishop for less than a year.
“This is saying ‘back off, we’ve got our own timetable’ … you can probaby take from that that the decision isn’t imminent.” – A church source
There will be no white smoke, and we know that the selection has to go to the Queen via the Prime Minister, but sometime today (or perhaps this weekend) we expect to hear who the next Archbishop of Canterbury will be. Giles Frasier prays that the next Archbishop will be given the gift of controversy. And here is a game you can play while you wait.
Online bettors think the Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, will likely be chosen to succeed the Most Rev. Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury.