Public invited to name next Archbishop of Canterbury after series of scandals
The public is being asked to put forward names for the next Archbishop of Canterbury, after Justin Welby resigned over safeguarding failings.
His replacement will be the 106th person to hold the role – the most senior bishop of the Church of England and the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
The public consultation on the appointment process for a new Archbishop of Canterbury “is an opportunity to gather the views of a wide range of people from across England and the Anglican Communion on the gifts, qualities and skills needed” for the role, the Church said.
Mr Welby stepped down following the publication of the Makin Review, a damning report into prolific sexual abuser John Smyth.
The independent investigation, published in November, found the Christian camp leader and barrister attacked as many as 130 boys and young men, including at Christian summer camps. It concluded that, had Mr Welby formally reported it to police a decade ago, Smyth might have been brought to justice.
Smyth died aged 75 in Cape Town in 2018 while still under investigation by Hampshire Police.
People will be able to submit names for Mr Welby's replacement to the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) – the body charged with nominating the new archbishop.
However, there will be no advert in which anyone can submit their name for the position of new Archbishop. Instead, possible candidates will be “invited in” to the process.
Historically, candidates have been people who already have senior leadership roles in ministry in the Church or elsewhere in the Anglican Communion.
Candidates must be aged at least 30 and generally younger than 70.
Recent months have seen numerous scandals emerge around separate safeguarding failings, resulting in a tumultuous time for the Church.
The Bishop of Liverpool Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath stepped down from his role in January following allegations of sexual assault and harassment.
Channel 4 News reported that the senior bishop has been accused of sexual misconduct by two women, including another bishop, which he has denied.
One woman accused Dr Perumbalath of kissing her without consent and groping her, and a female bishop accused him of sexual harassment. Both incidents allegedly took place in Essex in 2023.
Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, has temporarily taken over from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
But in December there were calls for him to resign over his handling of a sex abuse case. A BBC investigation reported that Mr Cottrell allegedly let priest David Tudor stay in post in the diocese, despite knowing he had been barred from being alone with children, and had paid compensation to a sexual abuse victim.
Cottrell, the Church's second-most-senior bishop, responded to the report in a personal statement, saying he was "deeply sorry we were not able to take action earlier".
A Christian camp leader at the Christian Iwerne Camps where much of John Smyth’s abuse took place is also alleged to have been sexually abusive, coercive and controlling towards women and girls.
Reverend David Fletcher, who is now dead, took part in the Makin Review, which prompted the Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation.
Information about the Reverend was brought to the Church's National Safeguarding Team and Diocese of Oxford after the Review was published in November, the Church of England said.
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The Church said the CNC will “use the themes that emerge through this (public consultation) process to inform the commission on the needs of the mission of the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion”.
The consultation will run until Friday March 28.
Full membership of the CNC is expected to be known next month, with a first meeting planned for May, and two others in July and September.
The commission will agree on a “role profile” and “person specification” for the next archbishop of Canterbury and put together a longlist and shortlist. It is not thought names of potential candidates will be officially made public during the process.
Usually, the name of the CNC’s recommended candidate is given to the prime minister who passes it to the monarch, and it is expected there could be an announcement by autumn.
People can submit their views via the Church of England website.
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