Rowan Williams To Step Down as the Archbishop of Canterbury
by Trent Gilliss, senior editor
Twitter is trending, dominated by the news of Rowan Williams’ retirement. At the end of December this year, Williams will exit his post as the Archbishop of Canterbury and become the 35th Master of Magdalene College at the University of Cambridge.
Archbishop Williams’ successor will take on some challenging issues as the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion of 77 million faces internal struggles and debates about the ordination of gay clergy and shrinking attendance. But the Church needs to choose the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury first. How is a successor chosen and who chooses?
“The responsibility for choosing the next Archbishop of Canterbury rests with the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC). Its task is to submit the name of a preferred candidate (and a second appointable candidate) to the Prime Minster who is constitutionally responsible for tendering advice on the appointment to the Queen.
Once the Queen has approved the chosen candidate and he has indicated a willingness to serve, 10 Downing St will announce the name of the Archbishop-designate.
The College of Canons of Canterbury Cathedral formally elect the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
The election is confirmed by a commission of diocesan bishops in a legal ceremony (the Confirmation of Election), which confers the office of Archbishop on him.
The new Archbishop is formally enthroned in Canterbury Cathedral.”
40 Days of Carbon Fasting
Trent Gilliss, Online Editor
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Lenten season for many Christians. For me, it brings back distant memories of frozen breaded fish cutlets, limited television, and sneaking an M&M here there when I was supposed to be abstaining from candy. All that time I merely considered it a mandate of my parents based on doctrine, and not, perhaps, a matter of moral obligation.
But, the 21st century is upon us, and a new set of options are surfacing. The Church of England is recommending a different approach. Instead of giving up food, how about minimizing your carbon footprint? The Guardian Unlimited reports that leaders within the Church say that Lent is an ideal opportunity to challenge adherents to exercise moral restraint in their consumption habits. The bishop of Liverpool is calling for a “carbon fast”:
“It is the poor who are already suffering the effects of climate change. To carry on regardless of their plight is to fly in the face of Christian teaching. The tragedy is that those with the power to do something about it are least affected, whilst those who are most affected are powerless to bring about change. There’s a moral imperative on those of us who emit more than our fair share of carbon to rein in our consumption.”
The Church has even gone so far as to detail a list for the 40-day carbon fast. I’m not so sure I’m willing to part with my bath yet (day 14). *grin*
(photo: Ken McCown/Flickr)
