Rowan Williams

Andrew Goddard

Description

Rowan Williams has served as Archbishop of Canterbury through one of the most turbulent periods in the history of global Anglicanism. He has also faced numerous challenges within the Church of England. How has he coped with the huge issues of a divided church and a rapidly changing world? What has he done as archbishop when parts of the church are campaigning for an inclusive church with gay-partnered clergy and women bishops, while others are determined to resist these developments? How has he related to other Christian traditions and those of other faiths? What has he said about the Iraq war, the financial crash, Sharia Law? In this fascinating assessment, Andrew Goddard surveys Archbishop Rowan's time in office. Goddard draws on Williams' speeches and writings, as well as interviews and comments from those who have worked with him. This book shows the pressures faced by an academic scholar who only took on this demanding role because he believed it to be God's call. What sort of leader has he been, and what sort of legacy does he leave for his successor, Justin Welby?

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Church of England

Informations

• Publié par: Lion Hudson
• Date de parution: 02 janvier 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780745957623
• Langue: English

Extrait

Text copyright © 2013 Andrew Goddard
This edition copyright © 2013 Lion Hudson
The right of Andrew Goddard to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Published by Lion Books an imprint of Lion Hudson plc Wilkinson House, Jordan Hill Road, Oxford OX2 8DR, England www.lionhudson.com/lion
ISBN 978 0 7459 5602 2 e-ISBN 978 0 7459 5762 3 First edition 2013
Every effort has been made to trace the original copyright holders where required. In some cases this has proved impossible. We shall be happy to correct any such omissions in future editions. pp. 29–30: Extracts from The Body’s Grace by Rowan Williams copyright © Rowan Williams, 2002. Reprinted by permission of Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement; pp. 35–36: Extracts from “Our differences need not destroy us” in The Tablet copyright © The Tablet, 2000. Reprinted by permission of The Tablet; pp. 40–41: Extracts from Rowan’s Rule: The Biography of the Archbishop by Rupert Shortt copyright © Rupert Shortt, 2009. Published by Hodder and Stoughton; p. 139: Extracts from “The Structures of Unity” in New Directions magazine copyright © New Directions, 2004. Reprinted by permission of New Directions; pp. 176, 202–203: Extracts from The Ecumenical Relationship by Mark Langham copyright © Mark Langham, 2012. Reprinted by permission of Mark Langham; pp. 242, 244: Extracts from BBC Radio 4’s Today programme copyright © BBC, 2008. Reprinted by permission of BBC; pp. 189–90: Extracts from Letter of His Eminence Cardinal Walter Kasper to His Grace Dr Rowan Williams Archbishop of Canterbury sourced from The Vatican, http://www. vatican.va/; pp. 196–97, 203–204: Extract from “Less a Roman holiday, more an Italian job” by Paul Handley in Church Times copyright © Church Times, 2006. Reprinted by permission of Church Times; p. 225: Extracts from “A Higher Responsibility: an interview with Rowan Williams” by Paul Richardson in Church of England Newspaper copyright © Church of England Newspaper. Reprinted by permission of Church of England Newspaper; p. 271: Extracts from Their Lord and Ours: Approaches to Authority, Community, and the Unity of the Church by Mark Canter copyright © Mark Canter, 1982. Reprinted by permission of SPCK; p. 276: Extracts from The Melvyn Bragg Interview: The Archbishop of Canterbury copyright © ITV, 2005. Reprinted by permission of ITV; p. 278: Sourced from The Social Edge Interview, http://www.thesocialedge.com; pp. 150–51, 152, 155, 164: Extracts from The Windsor Report copyright © 2004 Anglican Communion Office. Reprinted by permission of the Anglican Communion Office; p. 293: Extracts from “Stop doing that which is pulling us apart” interview with Rowan Williams by Lucilla Teoh copyright © Global South Communion, 2007. Reprinted by permission of Global South Communion.
Scripture quotation taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton, a member of the Hodder Headline Group. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a trademark of International Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Printed and bound in Great Britain, December 2012, LH26
Cover image: Jeff Morgan 07/Alamy
“Andrew Goddard’s portrait of Rowan Williams succeeds in being fair, shrewd, lively and many-sided. In particular, he shows with crystal clarity that Rowan has actually modelled a different, and Christlike, form of ‘leadership’. Among his astonishing array of accomplishments, that may be the most important.”
Professor Tom Wright, former Bishop of Durham
“Here in this wonderful book you are given the opportunity to see a true living saint, scholar, and servant of God. I will never forget the day when I took my curate from Baghdad to meet with the archbishop. As we prepared to leave the archbishop got down on his knees and said to my curate ‘Will you bless me before you leave?’ This was the grace, peace and humility of our primate that we see so clearly in this book.”
Canon Andrew White, author of The Vicar of Baghdad
“Early assessments are risky, but this one takes that risk with a commitment to fairness, and to affirmation as much as critique. Future commentary on this remarkable archbishop will be able to build on this picture, but this is a very helpful beginning to our understanding of the gifts we have received from Rowan Williams.”
Peter Selby, former Bishop of Worcester
“Andrew is highly skilled as a writer and a theologian, which makes him an excellent person to paint this clear and fascinating portrait of Rowan Williams. It’s a timely book for anyone wanting a deeper look at Rowan’s legacy. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to you.”
Vicky Beeching, theologian, ethicist, writer, and broadcaster
“Frank and perceptive, Goddard draws together a wealth of reflections on Rowan Williams, as well as a remarkable collection of the archbishop’s own writings and comments, giving us a deep and fresh insight into Williams’ humanity and theology.”
Christina Rees, member of the General Synod, a broadcaster and writer
“Rowan Williams’ tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury provided the scope for considerable intellect and graciousness during a very demanding decade of spiritual leadership. This biography introduces us more closely to the man behind the ministry.”
Joel Edwards, international director of Micah Challenge
With thanks to God for my fellowship and friendship with those in Fulcrum and the Anglican Communion Institute
Contents
Cover Title Page Copyright Page Praise Dedication PREFACE 1 THE MAKING OF AN ARCHBISHOP 2 A NEW ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 3 MISSION-SHAPED CHURCH AND FRESH EXPRESSIONS 4 LEADER IN MISSION 5 CAPTURING THE IMAGINATION 6 THE READING CRISIS AND SEXUALITY DEBATES 7 WOMEN BISHOPS 8 CANTERBURY AND THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION 9 CRACKING COMMUNION? 1. THE WINDSOR PATH 10 CRACKING COMMUNION? 2. LAMBETH, INDABA, AND THE FUTURE 11 ANGLICANISM AND OTHER CHURCHES 12 ANGLICANISM AND OTHER FAITHS 13 THE SHARIA LECTURE AND INTERACTIVE PLURALISM 14 “DOING GOD”: SOCIETY AND POLITICS 15 BEING A PRIEST AND A BISHOP NOTES
Preface
The ten years of Rowan Williams’ primacy as Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012 have seen major change and turmoil in the life of the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion. It has not been an easy time to lead the church, and he was clear that he hoped his successor would have “the constitution of an ox and the skin of a rhinoceros”.
The playwright David Hare recalled a conversation with him in the BBC make-up room before they appeared together on Newsnight in September 2009. Hare was writing his diary and when Rowan asked him about its contents he “admitted it was the usual unattractive mix of whingeing and self-pity”. He suggested that Rowan’s own diary as archbishop would be far more interesting and asked him if he kept one. Rowan explained that he didn’t but he feared that if he had it would have been pretty much like Hare’s. One of the antidotes to self-pity was remarked upon when he preached in Oxford to mark the 450th anniversary of the martyrdom of Thomas Cranmer in 2006, only a month after commemorating the centenary of the birth of twentieth-century martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In conversation with a former colleague, Rowan remarked that one of the benefits of such events is that when things were tough they reminded him how easy his calling was compared to that of some of his predecessors as archbishop and other Christian leaders.
It would, however, be wrong to focus solely on the negative and tragic features as under Rowan there has also been much to celebrate. The chapters that follow seek to paint a rounded portrait of Rowan as archbishop, provide an account of his ministry and the theological vision that shaped it, and put forward some initial, tentative assessments of both its highs and lows and the legacy he leaves the church and his successor. The opening chapter offers a biographical sketch of Rowan which highlights those elements that proved most decisive in shaping his time as archbishop. Here I am particularly grateful to Rupert Shortt for his biography which has proved an invaluable guide. Following an account of his messy appointment to lead a messy church and a reminder of his initial vision and commitments (Chapter 2), the book begins its journey through his primacy with a focus on his ministry within the Church of England. Rather than open with the internal politics that so often dominate the media, it starts by looking out in terms of the church’s mission (Chapters 3–5) and only then turning to the hot topics of sexuality (Chapter 6) and women bishops (Chapter 7). The next three chapters (Chapters 8–10) try to chart a path through the turmoil within the wider Anglican Communion. There follow accounts of his relations with other churches (Chapter 11) and his contributions to interfaith relationships (Chapter 12) and issues in wider society (Chapters 13–14). The book concludes by stepping back from such piece-by-piece examinations of different areas to offer an interpretative sketch of the hallmarks of his ministry as priest and bishop (Chapter 15), perhaps his most obvious and immediate legacy.
Throughout the book, but particularly in that final chapter, I am greatly indebted to the many people who spoke or wrote to me and provided material, reflections, and expertise as I wrote the book. A few asked not to be named but I am glad to be able to thank the following publicly for their input in various forms: Francis Bridger, Mark Broomhead, Malcolm Brown, Colin Buch