Dictionary

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Anglican

Anglicans form the family of Christians closely related to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Whilst tracing their inheritance back to Christ and the earliest Christians and to the ancient Roman Catholic church, the sixteenth century Reformation was a crucial moment for Anglicanism.

Confirmation

Confirmation is about ‘confirming’ the faith in God we declared at baptism. It also involves being strengthened by God’s Holy Spirit. In the Church in Wales it is administered by the bishop.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Home Pobl Dewi: March 2025 Appointing a Primate

Appointing a Primate

The search is on for the next Archbishop of Canterbury. How does the process work?

The appointment of the next person to lead the Anglican Communion – the 106th - will take most of this year. Unlike a secular recruitment process, no-one applies to be Archbishop of Canterbury. Instead, after a full and open public consultation, candidates are invited into a months-long process of prayerful discernment. This ensures the nomination is about discernment under God, anticipating his provision and recognising his anointing of a particular person to give leadership.

The process is led by the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), whose role is to discern whom God may be calling to this vital ministry. But it starts at diocesan level – in this case Canterbury – where a Vacancy in See Committee establishes a Statement of Needs, much as all dioceses do when considering their next spiritual leader.

The CNC is made up of seventeen people. Three of them are chosen by the Diocese of Canterbury itself. Another six, known as Central members, are elected from among members of the General Synod of the Church of England. The Archbishop of York and two other elected Bishops – one from the Southern Province - fill the remaining places.

Also, for the first time, there will be five members representing the wider Anglican Communion, one from each of the five global regions of the Communion - Africa, the Americas, Middle East and Asia, Oceania and Europe. The final voting member is the CNC chair, a public figure who must be a communicant CofE member and is appointed by the Prime Minister.

So it’s largely an English affair, despite the fact that the Archbishop of Canterbury is head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. No other province – the Church in Wales included – has any direct input into the process although it’s likely their voices will be heard as part of a wider public consultation undertaken by the CNC as part of their discernment.

Once the consultations are complete, the Commission votes. A two-thirds majority is required. The successful candidate is then nominated to the Prime Minister who submits their name to the King, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, for approval.