Message from Bishop David Anderson       Bishop Anderson Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, It is election season in the United States, and those residing therein are being bombarded with TV adverts and phone solicitations on behalf of candidates of both parties. I for one am disappointed with the quality of many of the candidates running for office, and the fact that while many candidates do have something of value to offer, it seems that many also have other serious issues as baggage that they bring along. I'm not a single-issue voter, but I do wish for candidates of higher moral caliber with a more finely developed sense of ethics, a better grasp of world history and geography, a better appreciation for economics and the things that drive men and women to work hard, defer gratification, and not look to bigger government for all of the answers. Oh well, I can hope. While our campaigns for public office in the USA are quite open, the Church of England's politics are quite closely held and confidential. A small group of people on the Crown Nominations Commission will soon decide, if they haven't already, who the next Archbishop of Canterbury (ABC) will be. The name of their preferred candidate, without the affirmation of the rest of the Anglican world or even the pew sitters in the CofE, will go to the Prime Minister for his perfunctory rubber stamp and then to the Queen herself. I understand that the preferred candidate is the one that is to be "chosen" by the Monarch, but there is a backup candidate in case something very untoward were to happen, such as sudden death or disability, previously unknown skeletons falling out of the closet, or some equivalent. The Monarch is expected by custom to freely choose the primary name given to her, but who will that be? Adrian Hilton of the Daily Mail in London has a good analysis that we include with this Update.  Of the names he mentions, John Sentamu and Richard Chartres both seem to be solid choices from an orthodox Anglican Christian standpoint, realizing that anyone put forward has said or done something, sometime, to give others concern. Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, has a number of things to recommend him, and Chartres of London has done a good job and is friendly with the royal family.

The idea of an additional person with title and portfolio to help lead the Anglican Communion, as a President or some other title of top rank, seems to me to be conditionally a good idea. The current Archbishop of Canterbury has suggested that at some point this might be helpful and necessary and confesses to having bungled the job himself without this assistance being available. I think the time to begin implementation of such an office is about one year after the new ABC takes office, before he is worn out or has made too many miscalculations. The new position would require more of an executive-type candidate who is a person of profound faith but also gifted in listening, thinking (in the normal sense of the word), speaking and writing in ways that people can understand and appreciate what is being conveyed. This person should not be chosen in the usual manner by a cloistered few, but with as broad a representation as possible reflected in the selection process. It should be someone who can understand the West, but also relate to the East and the South. Should the Anglican Communion Primates elect the President from among themselves? Does the President need to be a primate, or should the skill set required be the determinant? Should all of the Anglican Communion bishops elect the President, and should the President be an Archbishop or Bishop? How would the screening be done and by whom? Much of the present infrastructure wouldn't be trusted to bring forth orthodox candidates that could be viable contenders; if some factions, including the American Episcopal Church, were able to influence the screening and short list selection, anyone acceptable to the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) provinces would be screened out before the list saw the light of day. In the new structure, perhaps the Archbishop of Canterbury would provide the role that the Monarch provides in the English government, and the President of the Communion could be chosen by and answerable to the entire Anglican Communion. It's an idea that we will hear discussed further in the next few years; let's consider now the possible good that could come as well as the rocks in the water that we might inadvertently dash the ship against. Anglicans throughout the world are asked to pray for the appointment process and then for the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Blessings and Peace in Christ Jesus, +David The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr. President and CEO, American Anglican Council