The Archbishop of Canterbury should delegate most routine duties in order to concentrate on his evolving role as a world religious leader, according to a special task force which released an extensive report Sept. 6 [p. 11].

The Most Rev. George L. Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury, called for creation of the committee in March of last year. Douglas Hurd, a committed member of the Church of England and former British foreign secretary, served as chairman of the eight-person group.

"As we see it, delegation is in no way improper," writes Mr. Hurd in an introduction to the report. "Indeed, it is highly desirable if the archbishop is to be able to prioritize effectively. Delegation also enhances the effectiveness of the archbishop's ministry because, through delegation, he empowers others."

The report, titled To Lead and To Serve, recommends creation of a new "Bishop in Canterbury" who would take over the day-to-day running of the diocese and free the archbishop from attending every session of the General Synod which meets two or three times a year. Many of the archbishop's tasks as Primate of All England could be delegated to the Archbishop of York, who in turn would participate in the annual gathering of primates as the representative from the Church of England.

The overseas growth of Anglican provinces and increased emphasis on international cooperation have been primarily responsible for the growth and complexity of the role of the archbishop, the report said.

The review team rejected as impractical any significant delegation of the archbishop's international Anglican Communion responsibilities. However it did call for the creation of an episcopal deputy or "right-hand."

"We believe that despite the difficulties it is right to consider asking a bishop from the wider Communion to serve at Lambeth at the archbishop's right hand in matters affecting the Anglican Communion," the report said. "This non-English bishop could take the title of 'Bishop at Lambeth,'... The right person would have a lot to bring to Lambeth, and the appointment would send an important signal to the world. The right candidate could be, for example, either a retiring primate in good health bringing great experience, or a younger person bringing bite and vision to the role."

Demands for the archbishop to be appointed from outside England have grown in recent years, but the review team rejected that notion given its mandate, which included only the next 10 years and specifically excluded review of a long-standing British law which requires the archbishop to be a British subject.