The Diocese of Barbados Synod has failed to elect a bishop to succeed Archbishop John Holder

The Diocese of Barbados Synod has failed to elect a bishop to succeed the Most Rev. John Holder, Archbishop of the West Indies (pictured-left). On 7 June 2018 a special session of synod met at the Ivan Harewood Centre of Christ Church Parish and after six hours of voting remained deadlocked. Two previous meetings led to an impasse with the Rev. John Rogers, Rector of the St. George Parish Church receiving a majority of the lay votes and the Very Rev. Jeffrey Gibson, Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and All Angels, receiving a majority of clergy votes.

Diocesan Administrator, the Rev. Canon Wayne Issacs asked reporters to wait and let the system unfold as designed.

 “I don’t see us not being able to choose a bishop as yet as us having a problem. There is a process to be followed and the process says that we must receive two thirds in the two houses. And there is nothing that we can do to shorten it, so it might appear as though we are in confusion but we are just allowing the process to run its course,” he said.

“It’s best to say that we have a situation where by one body received two thirds in the house of Laity but nobody received two thirds in the house of Clergy.”

Canon Issacs said a fourth meeting to elect a bishop will be scheduled, but if the synod is not able to select a bishop by 28 August 2018, the decision falls to the Church of hte Province of the West Indies House of Bishops.