http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9150877/Bishops-line-up-for-impossible-Archbishop-of-Canterbury-post.html
By Edward Malnick
Dr Rowan Williams, who has been Archbishop of Canterbury since 2002, announced on Friday that he was stepping down at the end of this year.
Senior figures have cast doubt on the prospects of Dr John Sentamu, 62, the Church’s second-in-command and bookmakers’ favourite, to take over.
Dr Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, is considered a strong leader. He is respected for his opposition to Robert Mugabe’s regime in Zimbabwe, and headed an inquiry into the murder of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor.
This weekend there was opposition to his promotion from Church figures.
One bishop said: “I think Sentamu is clearly going to be a very strong front runner, although I think there are also the people who are not quite sure that is he suitable in terms of the way he behaves.”
Justin Brett, a lay member of the General Synod, said Dr Williams “very seldom puts his foot down” but “Dr Sentamu is not afraid to tell us what to do and will often do it in a way that comes over as bullying”.
Dr Williams, 61, said last week that leading the Church of England and Anglican Communion had not been an easy task.
The Archbishop has been battling to push through the Anglican Covenant to heal a divide within the Communion by effectively preventing openly homosexual clergy being appointed as bishops.
The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, 63, another contender, spoke out against the unity document.
He said that the Covenant would make Anglicanism resistant to change when churches needed to be innovative and courageous.
Bishop Jones stressed his stance was not a rebuke to Dr Williams.
On Saturday three more dioceses rejected the Covenant, putting its opponents on the brink of blocking it.
Bishops line up for 'impossible’ Archbishop of Canterbury post
The contest to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury got under way this weekend as one leading contender warned that the job was impossible.
Dr Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, is considered a strong leader Photo: PA
By Edward Malnick
9:00PM GMT 17 Mar 2012
The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James, who had been seen as a front runner, appeared to rule himself out of the race.
The 61-year-old bishop told The Sunday Telegraph: “I have served as a chaplain to an Archbishop of Canterbury and it was an impossible job then, and I think it’s more impossible now. Only those who don’t recognise its difficulties could possibly want to do it.”
Dr Rowan Williams, who has been Archbishop of Canterbury since 2002, announced on Friday that he was stepping down at the end of this year.
Senior figures have cast doubt on the prospects of Dr John Sentamu, 62, the Church’s second-in-command and bookmakers’ favourite, to take over.
Dr Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, is considered a strong leader. He is respected for his opposition to Robert Mugabe’s regime in Zimbabwe, and headed an inquiry into the murder of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor.
This weekend there was opposition to his promotion from Church figures.
One bishop said: “I think Sentamu is clearly going to be a very strong front runner, although I think there are also the people who are not quite sure that is he suitable in terms of the way he behaves.”
Justin Brett, a lay member of the General Synod, said Dr Williams “very seldom puts his foot down” but “Dr Sentamu is not afraid to tell us what to do and will often do it in a way that comes over as bullying”.
Dr Williams, 61, said last week that leading the Church of England and Anglican Communion had not been an easy task.
The Archbishop has been battling to push through the Anglican Covenant to heal a divide within the Communion by effectively preventing openly homosexual clergy being appointed as bishops.
The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, 63, another contender, spoke out against the unity document.
He said that the Covenant would make Anglicanism resistant to change when churches needed to be innovative and courageous.
Bishop Jones stressed his stance was not a rebuke to Dr Williams.
On Saturday three more dioceses rejected the Covenant, putting its opponents on the brink of blocking it.
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