The Fall of an Archbishop Shows Apologizing Isn’t Enough
Justin Welby’s resignation is evidence that PR and political skills matter for the leaders of any institution.
Justin Welby’s resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury is evidence that PR and political skills matter for leaders of any institution.
Photographer: Bethany Clarke/Getty Images EuropeArchbishops of Canterbury are more likely to be executed by the state — the fate of Thomas Cranmer and William Laud in the Reformation era — than to resign over a scandal. Justin Welby is the first senior primate of the Church of England (CofE) — the ceremonial head of 85 million Anglicans worldwide — to quit under pressure from his peers, the press and the prime minister. He may not be the last.
Like many big business CEOs, Welby was judged and found wanting for his ability to manage a crisis, not for his results (although the precipitous decline in Sunday attendance on his watch suggests he was failing). Today, PR and political skills are indispensable to leaders of public institutions, spiritual leaders too.