ARCHBISHOP Welby has “decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury”; but he stays in office, for now, and it isn’t yet clear when exactly he’ll leave.
He said in his resignation statement: “It is my duty to honour my Constitutional and church responsibilities, so exact timings can be decided once a review of vital obligations has been accomplished, including those in England and within the Anglican Communion.”
When contacted for more details, Lambeth Palace referred back to the Archbishop’s statement, and reiterated that the precise timings of his departure can be made sooner or later.
The collection of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury is by the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC). There can be 17 voting members: three representatives from the Canterbury diocese; six members of the General Synod; the Archbishop of York; one other bishop elected by the House of Bishops; and, in a change since 2012, five representatives of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The final voting member is the CNC chair, often a public figure, who have to be a communicant C of E member, and is appointed by the Prime Minister.
The CNC can be accomplished by two non-voting members: the archbishops’ secretary for appointments, probably the most influential positions within the CofE, currently held by Stephen Knott; and the Prime Minister’s secretary for appointments.
The successful candidate must win the support of two thirds of the CNC, which makes a advice to the Crown.
Should Archbishop Welby leave office before the CNC nominates a successor, the Archbishop of York will tackle his responsibilities throughout the Church of England for an interim period. Until the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury is in post, the provinces of the Anglican Communion can be with no spiritual leader.
