You may have read in the news that Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has announced his resignation. He stepped down in response to a report on horrific abuses perpetrated over decades by a prominent layperson at a camp for elite boarding school students. The political situation surrounding his resignation is extremely complicated, and some believe he was made a scapegoat by people who disagreed with him over other issues in the Church of England. In any event, it has highlighted once again that the protection of vulnerable members of our community is of paramount importance.   

What happens now? In the Episcopal Church, the Presiding Bishop is elected by the House of Bishops and the election is ratified by the House of Deputies. But the Church of England appoints rather than elects bishops. The Crown Nominations Commission, a group selected as shown in the bafflingly complicated diagram below, will select Archbishop Justin’s successor. Along with officials from the Church of England, the Commission will also include five members of the broader Anglican Communion representing Asia, the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. It is theoretically possible, but very unlikely, that the Commission will choose a bishop from another part of the Communion. 

The CNC will interview candidates and provide one name to the Prime Minister. A second name will be kept “in reserve” in case there is an issue with the first candidate or if they decline the offer. The Prime Minister then conveys the final result to the King. You can read more about the details of the process here: How is a new Archbishop of Canterbury chosen?

As this process unfolds, I invite your prayers for Archbishop Justin and his family, for Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, and for the Crown Nominations Commission who will select the next Archbishop. If you have any questions about how the Anglican Communion works, send me an email! 

Kara