([London] Times) Bishop of Durham leads as rivals for Canterbury trail

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.

The call came as sources said that the Crown Nominations Commission had agreed on the first name but was divided over the “runner-up” to submit to Downing Street. Justin Welby, the Bishop of Durham and a former oil industry executive, has secured the necessary two-thirds majority to be recommended as first choice. But members seem divided over whether the Bishop of Norwich, Graham James, or the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, should be the second choice.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Culture-Watch, * International News & Commentary, --Rowan Williams, Anglican Provinces, Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop of York John Sentamu, Church of England (CoE), CoE Bishops, England / UK, Religion & Culture

10 comments on “([London] Times) Bishop of Durham leads as rivals for Canterbury trail

  1. CharlietheCook says:

    David Cameron, huh? Wolves and chicken coops come to mind.

  2. Sarah says:

    And note the cleverness of this. Graham James is a revisionist [although he tries to hold up some rags around him purporting to be “evangelical.”]

    If Graham James is the “second name” then that gets his name into the mix rather than the two moderates, and with David Cameron’s agenda, he could well “violate tradition and protocol” and do as he pleases — who’s to stop him?

    Note how the libs fight and scrap for every single chance they can get for their revisionist candidate. The fight over the “second name” is not an unimportant tussle

  3. Archer_of_the_Forest says:

    Politicians picking religious candidates…that always turns out well.

  4. D a v i d + says:

    Does the exclusion of Chartres still signify that the only heresy in the church is to oppose the ordination of women? Very interesting.

  5. Dan Crawford says:

    Come, Holy Spirit. Please?

  6. Iohannes says:

    Sarah, I had that thought, but I don’t think it’s at all likely. Mr. Cameron would risk creating a constitutional crisis and offending the Queen personally. He may be wobbly, but he’s not dumb.

  7. Tory+ says:

    +Welby would be a wonderful Archbishop of Canterbury. He was brought to us for such a time as this!

    Tory

  8. Sarah says:

    RE: “Mr. Cameron would risk creating a constitutional crisis and offending the Queen personally.”

    I honestly don’t think he gives a fig about “offense” as long as the person has no power.

    And “a constitutional crisis” — well, who’s going to offer consequences for such a thing? If nobody, then he may do as he pleases.

    There’s a reason why they’re fighting so so hard to get James as the second name. And I don’t think it’s just for appearances.

  9. Big Vicar says:

    Sarah’s conjecture rings true.

    In addition, I believe that Welby’s secular career may contain an economic or ethical nugget that could make it possible for Cameron to move to No 2. With Sarah, I suspect that “There’s a reason why they’re fighting so so hard to get James as the second name.”

    We’ll see.

  10. dwstroudmd+ says:

    Ah, the flounderings of postcolonialism and imagined importance …….