The Bishop of St Albans, a popular choice, promises more openness
The Right Reverend Robert Runcie, Bishop of St Albans, is to be the 102nd Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England. He will succeed Dr Donald Coggan who retires in the New Year.
He is the first head of the Church of England and titular pontiff of 64 million Anglicans in the world to be selected by the new Crown Appointments Commission. The representative commission handed his name in July to the Prime Minister and the choice was later approved by the Queen as Supreme Governor.
For centuries a veil of ecclesiastical secrecy and at times intrigue has surrounded such archiepiscopal appointments and this makes Bishop Runcie the first "People's Primate".
The bishop, who is 57, will be a popular choice as the Anglican leader for the 1980's. He is the ex-Guardsman who became a theologian of repute, outstanding preacher and college principal, and a modern architect of the ecumenical movement. He has a strikingly uninhibited and genial style of conducting affairs. He won the Military Cross for outstanding bravery in 1945.
His attractive wife has also acquired a reputation for being outspoken. In a recent BBC interview she said she could not stand a lot of religious pomp and circumstance. "That is not what I believe in," she said. "Too much religion makes me go off pop. If I can tick over the way I do now, that keeps me happy."
Yesterday, Bishop Runcie admitted his surprise that the new commission had worked so quickly, astonishment that it had chosen him, and open trepidation at the prospect. But, he added: "I think it is a Christian's duty to believe that what you have been given to do is God's will for you, and you should enjoy it."
Bishop Runcie, who describes himself as a Liverpool Scot, will have two palace homes, Lambeth and Canterbury, after enthronement next year. His pay will be £12,500.
He said he hopes to shift the Anglican Communion in the "right direction." By this he means working to counter the frustration many people feel about the Anglican Church. He wants them to be more clear and convinced about his Church's faith, intentions, and policies. Altogether, a reign of greater openness, consultation, and involvement is envisaged.
It is his hope to have an early meeting after enthronement with the Pope; personal discussions with the other religious leaders, including non-Christians; and to further the Church of England's journey down the road to full unity.