Saturday, May 16, 1998
Wanted: six volunteers to run the Church of
England
By MARTIN WROE / London Observer Service
LONDON -- Members of the public are being invited to apply
to run the Church of England.
Since Sunday (May 10), advertisements have been running in
British newspapers for six unpaid vacancies on the powerful new
Archbishop's Council.
This is not a joke, although even the ad appears to recognize
that readers might think so. It reads: "It is not as far-fetched
an idea as you might think."
The council, which will oversee the church beginning in January
1999, is the product of a five-year overhaul of the archaic management
structures, a review sparked by the Church Commissioners' $1.3
billion investment losses in the property crash of the late 1980s.
The council will replace a raft of boards, councils and committees
and aims to streamline operations and cut costs.
"It is about open government," said Dr. Christina
Baxter, principal of St. John's Theological College in Nottingham
and an outspoken critic of church structures. "We're looking
for ordinary people who could help the church put its vision into
practice. It is not a sop; they will have real power."
The six appointees will be chosen for the "significant
contributions" they are making in a field that would advance
the church's contribution to the community. At least one will
have financial credentials, another educational experience and
a third a record in "strategic planning." They will
oversee 16,000 churches, 5,000 schools and 14,000 clergy.
It's the first time the church has advertised such powerful
appointments. Its own bishops are appointed in secrecy by the
Crown Appointments Commission.
Many of its key committees have been the product of "the
old boy network," according to Baxter, who says the posts
should go to more women and people of different races.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
Send a Letter to the Editor about This
Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
Send the URL (Address)
of This Story to A Friend:
Copyright ©1998,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
|
