LONDON (RNS) — The selection of a new Archbishop of Canterbury, a top secret affair, is in the homestretch. The position, which has huge influence, if not hard power, within the Church of England and global Anglican Communion, has been empty since the Rt. Rev. Justin Welby resigned nearly a year ago. This week the selection committee, the Canterbury Crown Nominations Commission, announced it will imminently pass its top candidate to King Charles III for approval. As the decision nears, the British public has been showing its interest in the country’s official spiritual leader via a favorite pastime: placing bets. RELATED: Archbishop of Canterbury resigned six months ago. We’ll have a new pope before he’s replaced. “This has been a really popular story for us in the last few weeks, especially. It’s been getting thousands of people looking at it, which is more than a lot of stories on sports, for example,” said Jake Ashton, senior news editor for OLBG, or Online Betting Guide, an outfit that offers reviews and ratings for online bookies. Betting …