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Overhaul proposed for church selections
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
THE TELEGRAPH
LONDON (1/18/2005)--A radical overhaul of the way that cathedral deans and suffragan bishops are appointed could be introduced next month following the storm over the homosexual cleric Jeffrey John.
Proposals designed to ensure that future appointments never again trigger such a divisive crisis in the Church of England are to be debated by the General Synod.
Under the proposals, a working party will examine whether the Prime Minister should give up his historic right to select deans, the senior clerics who run cathedrals.
Diocesan bishops would also have to ensure that their choice of suffragans, or assistants, was acceptable to a broad range of churchgoers.
The debate will allow anti-homosexual conservatives to vent their fury at the way that Dr John, a prominent advocate of homosexual rights, was named as suffragan bishop of Reading in May 2003. Such was the backlash that he was forced to step down from the post two months later.
Historically, the post of dean is in the sole gift of the Prime Minister, although senior Churchmen, such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, are consulted.
The proposals are contained in a private member's motion drawn up by Anthony Archer, a lay member of the synod from St Albans.
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