Young Christians invited to spend a year at Lambeth Palace

A new community will be taking root at Lambeth Palace inSeptember, and it has just started accepting applications.

The Community of St. Anselm, named for the medievalintellectual and former Archbishop of Canterbury, is accepting applicationsfrom across the Communion from young people who want to spend “a year in God’stime” living at Lambeth Palace in prayer, study and spiritual discovery.

Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, says that he expectsthe community “to have radical impact” on both the individuals involved and theworldwide Communion. “I urge young people to step up: here is an openinvitation to be transformed and to transform,” he said in a blog posting onthe community’s website.

There are 16 residential places open at Lambeth Palace itself,but an additional 40 non-residential places are available as well. Residentialmembers of the community will “eat, pray, study, serve and worship togetherunder a Rule of Life,” while non-residential members will, also following theRule of Life, engage with the community at least once a week and in moreintensive ways at various points in the year. Places are open to both singleand married people, but in the case of a married couple, both partners mustapply due to the intensive and immersive nature of the community.

No formal qualifications are needed to become a member ofthe community, but applicants are required to be between the ages of 20 and 35,participate regularly in a community of Christian worship and have a reasonabledegree of proficiency in English. In addition to a passion for prayer andspiritual growth, candidates will be selected with an eye to “maximizingdiversity and quality of group dynamics, as well as on the particular gift mixand personal characteristics of our applications.”