The names of the four candidates in the election for the next Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne to be voted on at an election Synod (church parliament) on May 23 and 24, have become public.
The four candidates are:
• Bishop Ric Thorpe, from the Diocese of London. His candiditure has been publically announced in the UK. He is currently the Bishop of Islington, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of London, and the “bishop for church plants.”
“It’s very humbling to be considered for this role, Bishop Thorpe says in the announcement by the Diocese of London. We are walking the journey of discernment prayerfully, and trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, whatever the outcome may be.”
Thorpe has been Bishop of islington since 2015, and from 1990 to 1992, Thorpe was a lay worship leader at Holy Trinity Brompton and then trained at the evangelical Wycliffe Hall college in Oxford.
• Wei-Han Kuan, Executive Director of CMS Victoria. An email to CMS supporters from the cahir of their board asks “Please join me in praying for Wei-Han and his family, and for the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, including the Synod. Let’s pray that there will be a great outcome for Melbourne Anglicans and for CMS-Victoria. Together we long to see more and more of a world that knows Jesus.”
• Rev Dr Tim Johnson – Vicar St John’s Diamond Creek announced that he is a candidate at church on Sunday. Here is part of that announcement: “It’s very possible that I won’t be elected and will continue to do what I’m currently doing, serving very gladly as the senior minister here at St John’s.
“But I wanted to share this with you so that you as members of St John’s are forewarned about this reality, that there may be some additional scrutiny that will be happening of me and of our church as well. So possibly our YouTube channel will be spiking at the moment.
“But I’m also telling you this because I’m asking you to pray. Please pray that there is grace and kindness in the debate that happens at the election synod, for the sake of all of the candidates, and for the unity of our diocese and our ongoing mission to share Jesus.”
• Rev Megan Curlis-Gibson – Vicar at Deep Creek Anglican, announced that she is a candidate at church on Sunday.
The candidates have come from a months-long process by a Board of Nominators, but the complex process of election could have a long way to go. Here is a diagram of the process produced by the board.
For a candidate to succeed requires a two thirds vote of the election Synod, with both clergy and lay members, counted seperately, reaching that two thirds vote.
There can initially be up to four balloting cycles before a meeting is adjourned.
If no candidate is elected Archbishop after four balloting cycles, the meeting is adjourned for between 7 and 21 days.
Two further ballots can be held at a meeting when the election Synod is reconvened.
If no candidate is elected Archbishop in the sixth balloting cycle the meeting stands adjourned indefinitely and the Board of Nominators must bring a fresh list of candidates.
If after six rounds of elections with the fresh candidates the election synod has not elected, a board of electors is formed with 12 clergy and 12 lay people. A three quarters vote is required to elect an archbishop at that stage.
John, these names are NOT public. They are in confidential to the Melbourne Synod. Please remove this post.
All four candidates have publicly announced they are candidates. It’s no longer confidential.
Hi Chris – despite best efforts, the cat and the bag have been well and truly separated for some time!