‘Post-colonial’ reforms threaten Archbishop of Canterbury’s standing as head of the Anglican religion
The Archbishop of Canterbury may no longer be the de-facto head of the global Anglican faith in a series of ‘post-colonial’ reforms.
Under the proposals, the spiritual head of the world’s 85million Anglicans would rotate among bishops and archbishops from across the globe.
If the plans are accepted it would mean that the Archbishop of Canterbury would not automatically be the most senior figure in the Anglican Communion for the first time since its formation in 1867.
The report states that changing the role of the spiritual head of the world’s Anglicans would ‘fit with the identity and ideals of the Anglican Communion in a post-colonial era’.
It adds that the proposals would ‘diversify the face’ of the Anglican Communion as ‘the leadership of the Communion should look like the Communion’.
There are 42 Anglican provinces across the world, from the United States to New Zealand.
Tens of millions of Anglicans live in Africa, with the largest number in Nigeria.
The proposals come amid a crisis in the CofE after former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was forced to resign in ‘shame’ following a damning report into a prolific child abuser John Smyth associated with the Church of England.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby prepares to lay down his pastoral staff on the altar at the chapel in Lambeth Palace on January 6
However, the plans predate this and relate to bitter divisions over same-sex relationships and female Archbishops, with traditionally conservative Anglican churches in countries including Uganda and Bangladesh opposing more progressive changes.
The plans, from the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) and titled the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, also suggest changes will free up the Archbishop of Canterbury to focus on ‘pastoral’ duties.
The report notes: ‘Ceding the expectation that the Archbishop of Canterbury convenes and presides at all meetings of the Communion will enable the personal and pastoral aspects of the archbishop’s ministry to be given and received, and fits with the identity and ideals of the Anglican Communion in a post-colonial era.’
The proposals will not be considered until the next meeting of the communion’s most important body, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), in the summer of 2026.
However they are likely to pass, according to The Times.
Under the proposals, the spiritual head of the world’s 85million Anglicans would rotate among bishops and archbishops from across the globe. Pictured: Canterbury Cathedral
The Right Rev Graham Tomlin, the retired Bishop of Kensington who is chairman of IASCUFO, told the newspaper: ‘We’re proposing supporting the role of the ABC by adding another face to the leadership of the Communion, which can also represent the Communion ecumenically and in other ways – and not always a British bishop.’
It comes after Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who temporarily assumed Dr Welby’s duties when he stepped down on January 6, admitted that the Church may need to rethink the role of Archbishop of Canterbury.
Mr Cottrell warned that the responsibilities of the job may need to be shared more widely in future following the ‘unprecedented crisis’ within the Church following the Makin Review.
Dr Welby was also asked in 2023 if the Archbishop of Canterbury’s role as de facto head of the communion was likely to change, answering: ‘I think it probably will.’
He added: ‘We are in a post-imperial era and it is essential that the Church acts and looks post-imperial.’
The process to appoint the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury has already begun and a successor to Dr Welby is expected to be announced in the autumn.
