Throughout June, I will each day be explaining on YouTube one reason why a Mere Human like myself, a twenty-four year old who hasn't even been ordained, would make a good Archbishop of Canterbury.
The position of Archbishop of Canterbury is a vitally important one and also very difficult: as the outgoing Archbishop Rowan Williams has said, his successor would need "the constitution of an ox and the skin of a rhinoceros!" Apart from that there are various other criteria that a potential Archbishop would need to fulfil: most fundamentally, he would need to be a Christian who fulfils the biblical requirements for a bishop, and then he would also need to submit to the standards of orthodox Anglican faith. Vitally, he would need to know how to respond to the various challenges currently facing not only the Anglican church but also the English nation. Then there are various other skills that a satisfactory Archbishop would be expected to possess. And above all else he would need to have a compelling vision and a simple strategy for the revival and reformation of England.
With all due respect, I think I fulfil all the necessary criteria:
#1. I have a vision for the revival and reformation of England
#2. I believe the gospel
#3. I've been baptised in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit
#5. I'm a royalist who believes in having an Established Church of England
#6. I'm patriotic but not xenophobic, and I can apologize for any imperialistic abuses of our country's past without being ashamed of our great heritage of missionary activity.
#7. I would be delighted to baptize children
#8. I think Christians should celebrate the Eucharist frequently
#9. I affirm the 39 Articles
#10. I affirm the Book of Common Prayer as a good historical standard of true biblical catholic faith
#11. I affirm the Jerusalem Covenant while also affirming that the catholic church enjoys an invisible unity with all believers regardless of church affiliation
#12. I'm liberal
#13. I'm catholic
#14. I'm evangelical
#15. I'm pentecostal
#16. I'm therefore broad church
#17. I believe in episcopal oversight of the presbyters of local congregations and therefore believe we need not just local parish churches but diocesan cathedrals filled with night and day prayer and worship.
#18. I have a clear, gracious, biblical position on homosexuality
#19. I have a clear gracious biblical position on the question of women in ministry which empowers women (to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) while affirming the truth of the traditional biblical doctrine of male headship.
#20. I am willing to speak out against the horror of abortion
#21. I am eager to engage the challenge of secularist universities
#22. I'm not afraid of making fun of atheists but am also able to laugh at myself
#23. I like to write rhymes (and so would be happy take my place in Canterbury's proud poetic tradition)
#24. I can write hymns
#25. I can also write Christian lyrics of greater contemporary relavance (ie. holy hip hop!)
#26. I have a beard
#27. I like wearing funny hats
#28. I like wearing funny robes
#29. I wouldn't need a salary
#30. I fulfil the 1 Timothy qualifications of a bishop
If there are any other serious candidates for the position, then I invite them to present their own set of reasons.
Running For Archbishop is a Mere Human scheme.
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