Scenario I:
In this scenario for a Bishop to be consecrated he or she will have engaged in the following:
1) Read a profile of the Diocese prepared by clergy and laity of the Diocese after an extensive process of listening and collecting views from people throughout the Diocese. He or she will in turn have both profile on file with the National Office and a personal resume.
2) Been nominated by any member of the church, or through personal discernment submitted her or his name for consideration.
3) Have his or her qualifications vetted by a representative committee of the Diocese, and if winnowed into a finalists group visit with people from throughout the Diocese who will also vet his or her suitability. Following background checks the finalists stand for a vote by a Convention comprised of laity and clergy of the Diocese.
4) The person chosen through democratic election has her or his qualifications vetted by the action of every Bishop with jurisdiction and every standing committee in the entire national church. A majority of which must concur with the Diocesan convention that she or he is appropriate.
Scenario 2
1) A committee of 14 meets in secret to consider possible candidates whosew names have been forwarded by an equally mysterious process.
2) The committee settles on one to three of the men whose names have come to this secret process. This secret process may also include pressure protestations from partisan groups in the church whom members of the committee seek to appease, even though its proceedings are secret.
3) Those names are given to the civil head of state who, through his or her own mysterious process picks one man whose name is then
4) Forwarded to a monarch for rubber stamping.
In an essay of 500 words or less (this is the Anglican Minimalist after all) explain which scenario best engages the interdependence of all participants in that Christian family and which scenario demonstrates appropriate subsidiarity in which a local decision is submitted to the larger church for vetting. For extra points describe which scenario has more transparency, directness and candor, even though these are not Anglican Covenant Values.
