Who would be a Pope today?

“Ambition, the moth of holiness,” observes Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini in Edward Berger’s political thriller Conclave.

With a new Pope soon to be elected, I thought it was time to do some background reading on how the Church of Rome goes about choosing its leader — so last night I forked out £4.99 to watch Conclave on Amazon Prime.

It’s a good film, well worth watching — and I’ll be careful not to spoil the plot, which takes a few sharp turns as imagined by Robert Harris in his 2016 novel on which the film is based.

Ralph Fiennes gives a superb performance as Dean Lawrence, the cardinal tasked with managing the conclave — the locked-in gathering of cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel who must choose the next Pope.

To my surprise, I found myself drawn to his character — a decent, sensitive man who seems above the pomp and circumstance of high office, someone who clearly wants what’s best for the Church and has no ambition for himself.

And ambition, really, is the main theme of the film. As Cardinal Bellini asserts:

“No sane man would want the papacy.”  To which Dean Lawrence replies: “The ones who are dangerous are the ones who do want it.”

There’s the rub. As Augustine of Hippo once said of Ambrose: “It is not the man who wants to be bishop who should be made one, but the man who, like Ambrose, flees from it.” Ambrose famously became bishop of Milan despite resisting the position.

Some 30-plus years ago, when I was considering a move between parishes, I found myself witness to a power struggle within the Church of England. I got to know one of the key players quite well — someone I respected, someone who, like me, was wary of personal ambition.

But a new kind of leadership culture was emerging — one where ambition wasn’t just tolerated, but actively encouraged. After all, didn’t the apostle Paul write:

“Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.” (1 Timothy 3:1, NIV)

The NRSV takes a leap with the translation: “The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.”

But context is everything. Paul follows this statement with six verses outlining the qualities required of such a person — and in many parts of the world today, to be a church leader is to court real danger: persecution, arrest, even ridicule.

You may have read earlier this year about the cleric nominated to be the next Bishop of Durham who unexpectedly withdrew. That meant the diocese had to go to the back of the queue. In today’s climate, you could argue no one in their right mind would want to be a bishop.

Back to the film — Dean Lawrence makes another striking observation: the next Pope will need courage. Not just for the weight of the role, but for the criticism and scrutiny that will inevitably come.

That gives ambition a very different frame. Thomas Aquinas writes: "Let no one assume the burden of ruling others, unless he is compelled to do so by the duty of obedience or the necessity of charity."

That duty of obedience and necessity of charity applies to any church office. This week, many Anglican churches, mine included, are holding their Annual Parochial Church Meetings, where officers — including the two churchwardens — are elected.

And here lies a challenge: the difficulty in finding people willing to serve. A recent Church Times article reported that between a quarter and 40% of churches in each diocese have only one warden (instead of the required two), while more than a fifth are missing other key officers.

It’s not just the workload — though the CofE does love its forms and questionnaires — it’s the responsibility. Many are put off by the thought of being held accountable in a litigious society.

This is the very context of Paul’s exhortation to Timothy, who faced opposition for being too young. And yet Paul writes: “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” (1 Timothy 4:14)

Clearly, Timothy had been given the gift of church leadership — a gift he could easily neglect, but which was, nonetheless, a calling to serve, given by God himself.

Each disciple of Jesus has been given a gift of ministry. As Paul teaches:

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7). No passengers here.

For some, the Holy Spirit gives the gift of leadership — of assuming responsibility. And if that’s you, Paul writes in Romans: “…if it is to lead, do it diligently.” (Romans 12:8)

Yes, you may take flak. It will invariably be difficult. But God owes it to himself and his promises to give us what we need.

That’s where true ambition lies — ambitious for the Kingdom of God.

So let’s pray for those choosing the next Pope and the next Archbishop of Canterbury — that God’s candidate is clearly identified.