He was elected to succeed Bishop Sam Greene during the annual general meeting of the Council Tuesday night.
The Council said in a release that as the leader of the largest denomination in The Bahamas, Rev. Thompson has a distinguished record of service to the nation through his activities.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II made him a Commander of the order of St. Michael and St. George last year.
Rev. Thompson, pastor of Faith United Baptist Church, told the Journal Wednesday that his leadership style will not be much different from that of the out-going president.
He said he is big on transparency and sharing responsibility.
Rev. Thompson added that one of his main objectives during his three-year term will be to assist with the introduction of a meaningful youth programme.
He was asked to give his stance on a number of issues, including the relationship between politicians and religious leaders, which has come under some scrutiny in recent times.
ﾓI think politicians and religious leaders should be very involved because they are both segments of the community that are working to improve society for human kind,ﾔ Rev. Thompson said. ﾓWe are both in the business of service to our fellowmen, one politically and one spiritually, but the two must work together to achieve the best results for the people we serve.ﾔ
Rev. Thompson said the Councilﾴs views on homosexuality, globalisation, gambling and other critical issues will be presented when he makes an address in the coming weeks.
He said, ﾓI want to make it emphatically clear that William Thompson is not the Christian Council and that the Council is made of numerous churches throughout The Bahamas. So when I speak to that or any other issue it would be the consensus of the Council with my views strongly put forth during the consultative process.ﾔ
The new president expressed his gratitude to the members of the Council for electing him.
Rev. Thompson was once an outstanding sportsman. He said he still holds the home run record in the local softball league with 27 homers set back in the early 1970ﾴs.
Gerrino Saunders, The Bahama Journal
