Ex-Buddhist is new leader of Sydney churches

There are three things too amazing for me, five I do not understand, the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on the rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way that an Anglican archbishop is elected – to paraphrase Solomon slightly!

At the beginning of May the Sydney Anglican Diocese voted for their new archbishop. It was an interesting, if at times puzzling, process to observe. People are nominated to make speeches for and against each candidate. But the result is good news.

The Sydney Diocese is large – over 400 churches with the vast majority of them being what is usually termed ‘conservative evangelical’. They have schools, a care organisation (Anglicare), youth work and Moore Theological College. Unusually in the Western Anglican world it is complementarian, evangelical, and largely Reformed. As a result, it is detested by many in the world and, sadly, in the Church – but so far they have stood firm. Sydney Anglicans have a considerable influence in the worldwide Anglican communion, not least in GAFCON. Therefore it is of great interest to the rest of the evangelical world who will be the new archbishop.