Anglican church may get ‘presidential’ figure to run day-to-day business

By TRISTAN STEWART–ROBERTSON
Published on 08/09/2012 01:38

THE Anglican Church is planning to hand over some of the global duties of the Archbishop of Canterbury to a “presidential” figure, it was reported last night.

Dr Rowan Williams said plans are being drawn up for a role to oversee the day-to-day running of the Anglican Communion and its 77 million members, leaving the archbishop free to concentrate on leading the Church of England.

The tenure of the Welsh-born archbishop, who steps down after ten years in December, has been marked by a bruising war between liberals and traditionalists in the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion over the issue of homosexuality, including the ordination of gay bishops. There has also been a divisive row over female clergy.

Admitting he may not have got it right, the 62-year-old said that the top job might better be done by two people. He added: “I don’t think I’ve got it right over the past ten years.

“It might have helped a lot if I’d gone sooner to the United States when things began to get difficult about the ordination of gay bishops, and engaged more directly.

“I know that I’ve, at various points, disappointed both conservatives and liberals. Most of them are quite willing to say so, quite loudly.”

The archbishop said the new role would be for a “presidential figure who can travel more readily”. He added that the church had treated homosexuals badly in the past.