The Archbishop of Canterbury who will be the Abbott of the 'Community of St Anselm' has just appointed Revd Anders Litzell to oversee the training of the so called 'Anselmers' over 10 months each year from next Autumn in what's being described by the Palace as a 'radical project'.
The programme named after former Archbishop of Canterbury, St Anselm who was a Benedictine monk and a 'brilliant' scholar is open to all Christians aged between 20 and 35 who are hoping to work in finance, business, education, politics, and charities or in the church, with 16 of them based permanently at the Palace.
Swedish born Anglican Mr Litzell, 34, has just moved into a "small residence" in the corner of the grounds from his parish in Holborn, London with his wife, Helen who's expecting their second child.
The first recruits will be housed in 'modest' accommodation when they arrive next September including accommodation once used by drivers of former Archbishops after Most Revd Justin Welby did away with the post.
Revd Dr Jo Wells, who is Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury and has pioneered the setting up of the community expects 'Anselmers' to serve in secular employment as committed Christians once they have completed their time at the Palace, speaking to Premier, she said: "Archbishop Justin hopes that the community of St Anselm will become a sort of brand that means this person can be trusted, this person has integrity.
"So if they're going to become a merchant banker; here is a merchant banker that will do things differently according to the rule of Christ and for the sake of the whole of society including the poor".
Revd Anzell is hoping the project will transform the feel of Lambeth Palace as it becomes a place where people will be living as a prayer community.
He told Premier: "What I really love about this community is the way that we are going to bring together people from north and south and east and west, all kinds of branches on the Christian family tree to show in a sort of a microcosm together what life looks like in Christ and the variety of expressions and devotions that we will enrich one another with in that context".
'Anselmers' will be expected to pray up to three times a day with introspection and self-reflection making up large parts of the course, complimented by work with the poor on local community projects.
Revd Dr Jo Wells & Revd Anders Litzell: