On the last day of the Anglican Consultative Council meeting [TLC, Oct. 10], the Most Rev. George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury, told council members he needed more power to carry out his ministry effectively. The archbishop's appeal came during a meeting which spent time debating the question of authority in the church. Archbishop Carey said the Anglican Communion should accept a more centralized authority or risk falling apart. The Archbishop of Canterbury is titular head of the Anglican Communion, but he has no authority outside his diocese, or in any of 38 provinces of the Communion. He pointed out that church leaders and others often look to the Archbishop of Canterbury to speak with authority for the Communion on important matters.

The archbishop has raised an important, but difficult, issue. While we might wish for Anglican leaders to speak with one voice, we are at the same time concerned that Anglicanism not lose sight of the advantages of self-governance. For example, what's best for the church in Wales may not be good for the church in Tanzania. We hope that when Anglican primates meet next March, they will hold some serious discussions on church authority.