Rowan Williams : An Introduction

by Rupert Shortt

The first occupant of Lambeth Palace is several generations with an international reputation as a theologian, he is nevertheless often considered a difficult writer, more admired than read and understood. Many people remain puzzled by how his social radicalism can coexist with a reputation for orthodoxy in doctrine. Rowan An Introduction is the first thorough account of the Archbishop's career and evolution as a thinker. A long biographical chapter is followed by three further sections on key aspects of Williams's theology, spirituality and politics. The result is a sympathetic but not uncritical profile of a leader with unmatched talents for enhancing dialogue between Christianity and secular culture.

144 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2003

Reviews

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. As a conservative evangelical, I share very little in common with Rowan Williams. This book did not bridge that gap. However, the book is very well written and the subject is very interesting. Two things particularly stood out in my mind. First was the discussion of the Christian and nuclear deterrence, for which I hold some slight sympathy for his position and remain undecided. The second was his reasons for opposing the ordination of either women or gays--I can't now remember. Either way, they are subjects of ordination that the historic church has long refused as disqualified. His reason for opposing it had nothing to do with the teaching of Scripture on those topics (as my own argument would be), but rather to do with the staunch conservative position of the Catholic church in that regard and his fear that for the Anglican church to abandon the conservative stance would compromise the progress of fellowship between those two communions. Of course, I am at one level disinterested in his reason (since I am not part of either church), and on another level I wholly disagree with his reasoning. It seems very pragmatic. So while I find it interesting that we agree on the specific position (should women/gays be ordained), we are completely in disagreement on the reason.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable. I'd give it five stars, but the subject matter is kind of blah. Rupert Shortt does a great job of dishing out praise and criticism in healthy doses. It's very balanced.

Rowan Williams is rather typical. A man who spent his entire life in academia, thinks socialism is fresh, is always oversimplifying economics all while bashing fundamentalists for oversimplifying theology, and thinks it's appropriate for a pastor to rage against third world debt and nuclear disarmament but not get obsessed about who people have sex with. And "dialogue" and "discernment" mean "I'm going to impose a women's ordination on the church but I'll smile and pat the conservative African bishops very kindly on the back while doing it." His only truly remarkable qualities are his eyebrows and that he studied Eastern Orthodoxy. Something tells me he would be far less famous had he not looked like a wizard.

He embodies Anglicanism. A sort of traditionalist relativistic radicalism.

Let's have a sung matins service with incense in a gothic cathedral, followed by a lecture on the intersectionality of queer theory and the Jesus myth which will be given by a leading atheist in Wales....and she's also the Anglican archbishop of Wales. After the lecture we'll burn an effigy of Margaret Thatcher and write letters demanding socialism NOW! And finally we'll have a cocktail party. Our canon makes the most divine cheese spread.

That's a bit too critical. I find him compelling enough to have read a book about him. What have you done? As far as liberals go he's the kind I'd prefer.