(ZENIT News / London, 05.18.2025).- In a historic shift toward broader global representation, the search for the next Archbishop of Canterbury will, for the first time, be shaped by five voices drawn from across the worldwide Anglican Communion. Among them is Archbishop Hosam Naoum of Jerusalem, a figure whose ministry in the Holy Land brings a unique depth to the process.
The announcement came on the morning of May 13, alongside the release of names from the General Synod of the Church of England who will join the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC). While the CNC has long been the formal mechanism by which the next spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion is selected, this is the first time that five regional representatives from the Communion itself will play a full part in the deliberations.
Until recently, only one such representative had a seat at the table. That changed in 2022, when the Synod voted to open the process to fuller international participation—an acknowledgment of the Communion’s demographic and spiritual center of gravity increasingly residing outside England.
The five regions—Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania—now each send one delegate. Their profiles reflect the theological and ethnic diversity of global Anglicanism: a Palestinian bishop, a Māori canon, a Ghanaian academic priest, a Welsh bishop, and an Argentine lay minister.
Archbishop Naoum, who represents Asia, brings both pastoral experience and geopolitical sensitivity to the CNC. As Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, he shepherds communities navigating faith amid conflict, and his presence signals the Commission’s attentiveness to voices from historically Christian lands now living as small minorities.
Joining him from Africa is the Rev. Prof. Grace Nkansa Asante, an economist and priest from Ghana, whose dual expertise in faith and economics symbolizes the Church’s engagement with both soul and society. Representing Oceania is Canon Isaac Beach, a youthful and deeply rooted voice from New Zealand’s Māori population. Canon Beach previously served as a youth delegate to the Anglican Consultative Council, bridging generations as well as cultures.
From Europe comes «bishop» Mary Stallard of Llandaff in Wales, while the Americas are represented by Joaquín Philpotts, a lay Anglican from Buenos Aires with professional experience as an industrial engineer.
These five figures were nominated by their respective regions, then confirmed by the Anglican Consultative Council’s Standing Committee. The selection criteria aimed not just at geographic balance but at ensuring a mix of ordained and lay voices, gender equity, and inclusion of members from the Global South—where the majority of Anglicans now reside.
Their presence comes at a pivotal moment for the Communion. Archbishop Justin Welby, who has served since 2013, announced his intention to step down earlier this year, prompting the activation of the CNC. The Commission’s task is to pray, reflect, and propose a successor who can serve both as Primate of All England and as a spiritual figurehead for 85 million Anglicans across six continents.
The full CNC is composed of representatives from the Church of England’s General Synod—three clergy and three laypersons—some of whom were elected in 2022 but have since lost eligibility due to changes in Synod membership. Others, such as Christina Baron and Clive Scowen, retained their eligibility and now take their seats alongside newer appointments, including clergy representatives Canon Claire Lording and Rev. Lis Goddard.
Complexities around representation have delayed the naming of diocesan members from Canterbury, following procedural missteps in local elections. As of May, their selection remains unresolved, casting uncertainty over whether the full Commission can meet as scheduled. Rule violations in recent ballots led to disqualifications under Church electoral law, adding a layer of bureaucratic challenge to an already weighty spiritual process.
Neither Archbishop Stephen Cottrell of York nor Bishop Graham Usher of Norwich, who are ex officio members of the CNC, are eligible for consideration as the next Archbishop.
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