Rowan Williams – the wrong man for the job?

The Royal Wedding may be old (ish) news, but am I the only one still a bit embarrassed that the Archbishop of Canterbury didn’t have a scrub up, a shave, or a hair and beard cut for the occasion?

He looks like he is – a professor … a slightly dotty professor.

But that’s not really why he irritates me – I just think, am sure, that he’s the wrong man for the job.

Why?  Where do I start?

He’s an academic of the most rarefied kind and these people are not natural man-in-the-street communicators – a critical qualification, I would argue, for the head of the Church of England.  Some of his speeches and lectures are so complex, you’ll need a PhD in theology or philosophy to understand them. See here for an example – what IS he on about? 'Cloven Tongues' lecture.

But he’s not working as a professor!  He’s the Archbishop of Canterbury!  So why not start being the leader of the Church of England and pack in the former job altogether?  There’s far too much proper work to be done – women priests, homosexual vicars and, above all, the decline of the Church of England and church-going itself.

I should have seen it coming.  When he was appointed one commentator said it was a good choice because he was a man, “who asked difficult questions”!  But anyone can ask difficult questions!  Anyone!  But what we, the C of E needs are answers!

In many ways he’s a throwback to the 1940s when vicars spoke differently … but people just don’t talk like that any more – it’s a massive barrier, especially to the hip hop generation.

The eloquent, media-savvy, former of Bishop of Croydon (now Bradford) Nick Baines told me that there were people out to get him, public relations-wise., both IN the C of E and in the media.  Well, that’s sad … but I don’t think the media are out to get him, vulnerable target though he is.  I think he keeps blundering into areas he doesn’t understand, where he doesn’t know WHAT to say, but says it anyway.  He’s “troubled” by the death of Osama bin Laden!  OK, he may have been asked for his opinion … but almost any other words would have been better.  It’s not really his business, questioned or not.

His business is arresting what looks like a terminal decline in his church; OUR church.

But another huge problem is that he says the most offensive, bizarre, ‘politically correct’ nonsense.  And it gets him – quite rightly – all the worst headlines.

He’s called for ‘some kind’ of Muslim Sharia law in England!

He said missionaries’ use of ‘Hymns Ancient and Modern’ was “sinful.”

He’s apologised for the church’s role – 150 years ago – in the slave trade.  This like many of his un-called-for apologies only served to embarrass and infuriate his church.

Most of his apologies are un-called-for, like the apology to Darwin, see later!  But, sadly, many are to deal with self-inflicted public relations disasters, such as his comment that the Catholic Church in Ireland had “lost all credibility” over the issue of abusing priests.  Well, of course it has!  But why, Rowan, blunder in and say so?

His apologies are legion.  Just type ‘Archbishop of Canterbury apologies’ into Google and see what it throws up.  I did last night – and got 576,000 apologies. (Yes, I know – many will be different media comments on the same Archbishop apology)

Here is a short list of the Archbishop’s apologetic blunders with media text extracts.

5th May 2011 That Osama bin Laden question.

Q: Do you believe that the killing of Osama Bin Laden is justice for the 9/11 attacks and indeed other attacks? And was the US morally justified in shooting him even though he was unarmed as the White House now admits?

A: I think that the killing of an unarmed man is always going to leave a very uncomfortable feeling because it doesn't look as if justice is seen to be done, in those circumstances.  I think it is also true that the different versions of events that have emerged in recent days have not done a great deal to help here.  I don't know the full details anymore than anyone else does but I do believe that in such circumstance when we are faced with someone who was manifestly a 'war criminal' as you might say in terms of the atrocities inflicted, it is important that justice is seen to be observed. http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/2028/archbishop-on-osama-bin-laden

4 April, 2010: The Archbishop of Canterbury was forced to apologise last night for declaring that the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland had lost ‘all credibility’ over the child abuse scandal.
The comments by Dr Rowan Williams provoked a furious backlash from Irish church leaders, who said they were ‘undeserved’ and ‘profoundly disheartening’.
His remarks also threatened to undermine relations between the Anglican and Catholic Churches in the run-up to the Pope’s visit to Britain in the autumn.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1263234/Catholic-Church-Ireland-lost-credibility-says-Archbishop-Canterbury.html

9 February, 2010: The Archbishop of Canterbury … has opened the General Synod with a speech calling for an end to infighting over the ordination of gay clergy in the United States and women bishops in England.

During his speech Dr Williams apologised for appearing to undervalue the contribution of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to the Anglican Church in the UK.  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8506783.stm

9 February, 2010: The Archbishop of Canterbury issued a “profound apology” to the lesbian and gay Christian community today.

In a powerful address to the General Synod, Dr Rowan Williams warned that any schism within the Church would represent a betrayal of God’s mission.

But he made clear that he regretted recent rhetoric in which he has sought to mollify the fears of the traditionalist wing of the church.

Today he said: “There are ways of speaking about the question that seem to ignore these human realities or to undervalue them.

“I have been criticised for doing just this and I am profoundly sorry for the carelessness that could give such an impression.”  http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7020655.ece

15 September, 2008: From the Daily Mail: The Church of England … officially apology to Charles Darwin for misunderstanding his theory of evolution.

In a bizarre step, the Church will address its contrition directly to the Victorian scientist himself, even though he died 126 years ago.
But the move was greeted with derision last night, with Darwin’s great-great-grandson dismissing it as ‘pointless’ and other critics branding it ‘ludicrous’.
The officials said that senior bishops wanted to atone for the vilification their predecessors heaped on Darwin in the 1860s, when he put forward his theory that man was descended from apes.
The Church is also anxious to counter the view that its teaching is incompatible with science. It wants to distance itself from fundamentalist Christians, who believe in the Biblical account of the creation of the world in seven days.
An article to be posted on the Church’s website will say: ‘Charles Darwin, 200 years from your birth [in 1809], the Church of England owes you an apology for misunderstanding you and, by getting our first reaction wrong, encouraging others to misunderstand you still.
‘But the struggle for your reputation is not over yet, and the problem is not just your religious opponents but those who falsely claim you in support of their own interests.’

Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk

9 Feb 2006 Church offers apology for its role in slavery - Telegraph

... It voted unanimously to apologise to the descendents of the slaves after an emotional debate in which the Archbishop of Canterbury, ...
http://www.blogger.com/www.telegraph.co.uk/.../Church-offers-apology-for-its-role-in-slavery.html

The Church of England issued a clarification, but look at it!  It just makes things worse. Lambeth Palace press briefing

Note: It is only fair to point out that the C of E Synod voted for this apology and the Bishop of York (my choice as Dr Williams’ successor, by the way) also promulgated this apology.

November 27, 2006: The Archbishop of Canterbury has apologised over comments he recently made about the role of women priests, as new research claims that they will "save the Church from sinking" in the future.  http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/archbishop.williams.apologises.over.women.priest.comments/8502.htm

27 November, 2005:  The Archbishop of Canterbury … has said that an apology offered to the Christian Community in Pakistan over the Sangla Hills incident is a hopeful sign for the country in the days ahead.

The apology came during a seminar for Christian and Muslim leaders in Lahore, Pakistan during the Archbishop's visit to the country and was offered by the country's Minister for Religious Affairs and Minorities, Mr Muhammad Ijaz ul Haq. Churches and houses belonging to Christians in Sangla Hills were destroyed in violence which followed accusations of blasphemy.  See link.

2 Nov 2005 Archbishop: It was a sin to teach the world our hymns | Mail Online

... Introducing English hymns and carols to far-flung parts of the world was sinful, the Archbishop of Canterbury has declared. Missionaries who ...
http://www.blogger.com/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/.../Archbishop-It-sin-teach-world-hymns.html

Official line: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/1675/one-holy-catholic-and-apostolic-church

20 April, 2003: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has been forced to apologise to Britain's 330,000 Freemasons after he said that their beliefs were incompatible with Christianity and that he had rejected them from senior posts in his diocese.
Dr Williams has written to Robert Morrow, the Grand Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England, in an attempt to defuse the row prompted by comments he made last year. In his letter, the Archbishop apologises for the "distress" he caused and discloses that his own father was a member of the Craft. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1270153/posts

8 Jan 2000 crusades were self-defence, The | Spectator, The | Find Articles ...

... The Archbishop of Canterbury, flanked by members of other Christian denominations. publicly apologised for the sins committed in the name of ...
findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_200001/ai_n8902196/ - Cached

http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/1299/archbishops-address-at-al-azhar-al-sharif-cairo

How Religion is Misunderstood (and no wonder, my comment!)

Saturday 13th October 2007

A lecture given at Swansea University, focusing on some of the main misconceptions about religion put about by popular atheist commentators and writers, such as Richard Dawkins.

                                            

www.archbishopofcanterbury.org

http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/1366/archbishops-holy-week-lecture-faith-science

Episcopal Offices

Bishop of Monmouth

Elected Bishop of Monmouth on 5 December 1991, Rowan Williams was consecrated at St Asaph Cathedral on the feast of St Philip and St James, 1 May 1992 and was enthroned at St Woolos Cathedral on 14 May, 1992.

Archbishop of Wales

Rowan Williams was elected Archbishop of Wales in December 1999 and was enthroned at St Woolos Cathedral on Saturday 26th February, 2000.

Archbishop of Canterbury

Elected as Archbishop of Canterbury on 23 July 2002.

Confirmed as 104th Archbishop of Canterbury on 2 December 2002 in St Paul's Cathedral, London.

Enthroned as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury on 27 February 2003 in Canterbury Cathedral.