The Church of England website features a public consultation closing on 28th March on what qualities should be looked for in the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. But aren’t the Church’s staff meant to be the experts on God?
The Church, with all its committees, seems adept at diffusing and side-stepping responsibility. Could this be a fake consultation to make people think they have a voice? Then, whatever controversy nominees cause, the selectors can say, ‘Oh well, it’s what the public told us to do’ – with nobody able to prove otherwise. Moreover, respondents might not take seriously the task of choosing someone to follow in St Augustine’s footsteps. After all, in 2016, a public vote to name a new royal polar research ship was embarrassingly won by ‘Boaty McBoatface’.
Extraordinary circumstances can lead to the rise of exceptional leaders
Nevertheless, answering the survey is an opportunity worth taking. The CofE is widely acknowledged to be in crisis.
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