Leading Anglicans are lobbying against Dr John Sentamu, the favourite candidate to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury, by suggesting that he is too old.
Dr Sentamu, whom liberals regard as too conservative on gay marriage, emerged as an early favourite to replace Rowan Williams when he steps down at the end of the year. But critics have privately questioned the African-born archbishop’s suitability for the role, pointing out that, at 62, he is already a year older than Dr Williams.
One insider said: “Just as the initials ABC are used to designate the Archbishop of Canterbury, the initials ABY have been used for York. But now, for those against him, they are being used to mean ”˜Anyone But York’.”
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“…pointing out that… he is already a year older than Dr Williams…”
I would have thought such discriminatory comments to be criminal in Great Britain, but I suppose it is justified when used against one who is “too conservative on gay marriage.”
🙄
No. 1: Could be. Anyway, I haven’t read the full article, but isn’t Sentamu younger than Donald Coggan was at the beginning of the latter’s tenure of office? And I liked Coggan. An interim person can do a lot of good. Pope John XXIII was well up in years and not pope for very long, but, well, I liked him too. So I don’t get this age thing.
And don’t forget Pope Benedict XVI, who was 78 when elected, and is still in very good health of body and mind.
This age business (62!) is a red herring. Could backlash against ageism be the next act in this drama?
IMHO 62 is NOT even slightly old. (OK everybody, guess how old I am).
“OK everybody, guess how old I am.”
No, thanks. But I would be interested to hear from people what the problems with or objections to Sentamu are, from anyone’s point of view. I still say that, traditionally, ABY is in the default position (almost) and will need to be given serious consideration. In the old days, they’d almost have needed a reason not to go with York. I’m not a bean counter who gets overly concerned with race, gender, etc., but wouldn’t it be something to be the first among the big three worldwide communions to have an African-born leader? Doesn’t that have some appeal? But I don’t know anything about the fellow and I’d be happy to learn something from those that do.
I think my objection to Sentamu being ABC is that he’s doing quite wonderfully where he is; I think people forget that having an iconoclast in the top spot is not always the same thing as having him in the second spot. If his public ministry is, as it seems to me, largely about doing Great Big Things that get attention and popular press to focus on the Church… I’m not sure that’s an entirely healthy way of going about things for the leadership of the CofE or the Communion. What makes him a great ABYork would make him (in my estimation) a lousy ABC. Neither the CofE nor the Communion need a grandstander; give me a middle of the road manager like +Chris Cocksworth of Coventry or someone with experience in reconciliation like +Justin Welby in Durham, and I think you’ve got a good choice.