The public is being given the chance to suggest who should be the next Archbishop of Canterbury, replacing Justin Welby, who resigned after a report found the Church of England covered up sexual abuse by a barrister.
He stood down following the publication of the Makin Review which found John Smyth QC attacked as many as 130 boys and young men, including at Christian summer camps.
The independent investigation, published in November, concluded he might have been brought to justice had Mr Welby formally reported it to police a decade ago.
Smyth died aged 75 in Cape Town in 2018 while still under investigation by Hampshire Police.
Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, has temporarily taken over from the Archbishop of Canterbury, who stepped down in January.
People will be able to submit names via the Church of England website to the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) – the body charged with nominating the new archbishop.
Candidates must be aged at least 30 and generally younger than 70 and historically they have been people already holding senior leadership roles in ministry in the Church or elsewhere in the Anglican Communion.
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Numerous scandals have emerged within recent months within the Church around separate safeguarding failings.
In December, Mr Cottrell apologised over his leadership regarding a sex abuse case when he was Bishop of Chelmsford and in January the Bishop of Liverpool announced his retirement amid misconduct allegations.
The Church has described the public consultation as “an opportunity to gather the views of a wide range of people… on the gifts, qualities and skills needed” for the role of Archbishop of Canterbury.
But while the CNC will use the public vote “to inform the commission”, the Church says the panel – which effectively has the final say – will invite people to apply for the role.
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The consultation will run until 28 March but it is not thought potential candidates will be officially made public during the selection process.
While the public can put forward names, it is the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) which recommends the final candidate. The CNC consists of:
• The chair (a layperson) – to be appointed by the prime minister
• A bishop – to be elected by the House of Bishops
• The Archbishop of York or, if he chooses not to be a member of the CNC, a further bishop to be elected by the House of Bishops
• Three representatives elected from the Diocese of Canterbury by their Vacancy in See (Diocesan Synod) Committee
• Six representatives (three clergy and three lay) elected by General Synod to serve as members of the Commission for a five year period
• Five representatives from other churches in the Anglican Communion – one each from Africa; the Americas; Middle East and Asia; Oceania and Europe
The full membership of the CNC is expected to be known next month with meetings planned for May, July and September to put together a longlist and shortlist.
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Usually, the CNC’s suggested candidate is given to the prime minister who – by convention instead of law – advises the monarch to appoint them. An announcement on the new archbishop is expected by autumn.
