Rowan's Rule: The Biography of the Archbishop of Canterbury

by Rupert Shortt

 
A fascinating, fair-minded depiction of Archbishop Rowan Williams.

Rowan Williams is a complex and controversial figure. Widely revered for his personal qualities, he is also an intellectual giant who towers over almost all his predecessors as Archbishop of Canterbury. Among other achievements, he has trounced the atheist Richard Dawkins, and published over twenty well-regarded books, including several volumes of poetry and a major study of Dostoevsky.

Yet he is also one of the most reviled church leaders in modern history. Long before facing calls to step down after his lecture on sharia law in early 2008, he had been accused of heresy on account of his pro-gay views. He has disappointed many of his own supporters as well. So how has high office changed Rowan Williams? Has he been bullied and manipulated? Or is he perhaps playing a long game, obliged to rate church unity above the pursuit of his own vision at a time when the Anglican Communion has never looked more unstable?

Rupert Shortt, already the author of an acclaimed introduction to the Archbishop's thought, offers answers to these and other questions in this authoritative biography. He explores how the events of the Archbishop's remarkable life have shaped his beliefs and practices today. Of particular interest is the riveting account of Williams's experience near the World Trade Center towers on the morning of September 11, 2001. Written with Williams's cooperation, Rowan's Rule not only elucidates his ideas but gives a compelling portrait of a private and in some ways surprisingly vulnerable man.

Genres: Biography, Religion, Biography Memoir, Church

484 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Colin Heber-Percy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inevitably what starts as a biography becomes a report on the state of Anglicanism. The fact is, Rowan Williams is much, much more interesting as a subject than the petty politicking of other prelates. And what he has to offer as a Christian, as a theologian, philosopher and poet is much more absorbing than the worldly posturing and grubby prejudices of so many members of the Anglican Communion.

Shortt's book could have done with a slightly firmer editorial hand. The structuring - largely chronological - is sometimes haphazard. And occasionally subjects and characters are dropped before being picked up again many pages later.

There's something (properly) tragic about Rowan Williams, this brilliant man, from whom we could all learn so much, being wasted in politics and abused by the small-minded, and smaller-hearted.

When Williams left Wales to become ++Canterbury, a friend of mine who worked at Llandaff Cathedral was asked by the press to describe their feelings for Williams. They answered simply, "I love him."

An inspiring man of extraordinary spiritual gifts who is not quite laid bare by this biography.

[Richard Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography was obtuse in many ways, but the complex and spiritual man Rowan Williams came through. It seems that spiritual people are not well received even in the church. And spiritual leadership (as opposed to worldly leadership) is often rejected by those who claim to be spiritual. The book seems to misunderstand Rowan’s practice of leading as a spiritual person as a weaknesss in leadership. What it really shows is how incompatible this world is with God’s realm. It also underlines the inherent heresy of tying church and state together in any official sense.

[Jason Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

When this book came out I was a former Catholic functioning in a free church context whose less attractive qualities would start to lead me to an Anglican Church where I could retain my Evangelical identity without the fundamentalist trappings. Rowan Williams then struck me as a man spiritually gifted but lacking in strong leadership over what seemed like issue after issue .

This book aims to regress the balance a bit, and it succeeds to a degree. I was struck by Williams early stands against a strand of liberal theology that had lost sight of Christ’s divinity. There is valuable context to the spurious story of Druidic ordination, and the controversies over homosexuality and sharia law that is fair to both shades of those debates. The book also doesn’t shy from his sometimes tendency to be obscure and indeterminate when the opposite was needed.

He still presents , though, as a man of very great spirituality , but not a strong leader, and well intentioned but naive on the idea of pluralistic law that lay behind the sharia debate. To be fair on some of these issues there is no middle ground between two opposing views of the authority of scripture and all one can do is try not to let a mixed communion get too schismatic so that evangelicals and liberals can inform each other. But that requires more reactivity, even in a no win situation.

The book is also a bit anti the harder evangelical edge. While some of GAFCON’s stances mirror my dislike of the hard evangelical tendency toward the political right, engendering right wing stances on issues as a while, they are still important in pleading for the authority of the bible and they are no illiterate fundamentalists. And although this is a biography not a Theological work, it could highlight the sense of biblical concern for care of the under privileged which is the major liberal contribution.


The debate about conscience vs vows of obedience in GAFCONs opposition to Lambeth conference is interesting and tricky. And not one yet resolved .

[Zak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book I own with a full sized portrait photo of Rowan Williams on the cover, not sure what to think about that.

This was a largely enjoyable read about a man who I find consistently deep, spiritual and important. It definitely captures a lot of this, particularly in his earlier years and some mad anecdotes (like how Rowan used to take lecture notes in Latin).

However, there were two areas that I docked a star each for (I'm sure Rupert's life will be irrevocably changed for this fact):
1. Too much focus on boring church politics
2. Too simplistic a critique of Rowan on political/economic grounds

On this second one, Rupert seems to think he's pulled out the trump card by suggesting Rowan was conflating inequality with poverty (spoiler they're both bad for different reasons but also intimately related) and thinks he shouldn't be so hard on little 'ol capitalism. Maybe there is truth in the second point but I think we have enough people extolling it's virtues (oft implicitly) that a little bit in the other direction isn't the worst thing.

All that being said I came away wanting to read more of Rupert, as he definitely captures some of the reality of a Christian life in a way others don't.

[Ben Jeapes · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unapologetically pro-Rowan biography of one of the best yet most unremarkable Archbishops of Canterbury of recent years. Rowan Williams' tenure in the job perfectly illustrates the Biblical principle that "my strength is made perfect in your weakness". This brilliant, compassionate, scholarly, gentle man seems completely unsuited for his job, and often showed it with an inability to come down from the ivory tower when it really might have been a good idea. Time and again a particular issue called for some sensitive political nous and he simply couldn't disengage his unworldly, scholarly settings. He could always see both sides of the argument and often seemed unable to realise that other people didn't. AND YET that very feature of his gave the Anglican church the flexibility that prevented it from tearing itself to pieces over issues of gender and sexuality in the first decade of this century. Sadly, those issues inevitably dominate this book because they dominated Rowan's tenure. Just think, if all those dissenting Anglicans had had the grace and sense to shut up and get on with it, that amazing mind and compassion could have been turned towards issues that actually matter and then what a force the Anglican church might now be!

[Justin Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very readable, sympathetic account of a genuinely interesting man. Some unintended comedy arises when Shortt tries to criticize Williams; the only area in which Shortt can find disagreements is in economics. Our author consistently criticizes Williams for not understanding the great genius of modern capitalism. This book was published in 2008. Good work, Rupert! I hope Shortt is around to write a longer biography that treats the years since, and is also able to perhaps edit out some of these giggle-inducing lines, and replace them with his far more interesting and cogent theological reflections.

[Matthew Eyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an amateur Anglican historian, I've read dozens of clerical biographies and many seemingly successful clergy were plagued with doubt How this humane, decent principled man ever came to leave the Groves of Academe for the snake pit of Anglican politics is beyond me. Had it not been for his sadly premature death his father in law, Geoffrey Paul, would almost certainly have been Cantaur 102. He went back to Cambridge and was replaced by the more worldly Justin Oilswelsby (TM, Private Eye

[Igor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Shortt at times maybe unintentionally slips in his own views on the issues of theology and morality, this is nonetheless a good and accessible read. Not only it is a biography of Rowan Williams, it is also an overview of his theology and poetry, and furthermore it is a book of recent history of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion more generally.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A detailed look at Rowan Williams's life, from his parents' background until 2009 (a couple years before he retired from the Archbishop's seat).

I learned a lot from this book, not only about Williams but about the Anglican church, and to some degree British culture in general (In fact, the author's assumptions about his British audience were quite revealing for this rural-grown American not so used to the implicit value judgments of British academia.)

The author is obviously sympathetic, and I liked the Archbishop a lot after reading this book. In fact, even in the areas in which the author is critical, the criticism is ignorantly made (especially concerning economics and pacifism), so I even ended up likely how Williams come out in those areas as well. The personal insight into Williams is great, though the heavy focus on his poetry could have been supplemented by a little more attention on his theological writings.

Only 3 stars because the author is rude, condescendingly attacking, and simplistic/ignorant whenever he brings up Rowan's critiques of capitalism and military violence. The book was written before Rowan's “rule” as Archbishop had come to a close, so we also miss some interesting potential material from the end, not to mention the ability to reflect on what has happened since he left.

[David Ackerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been an important time in my life to read “Rowan’s Rule,” Rupert Shortt’s brilliant biography of Rowan Williams. At the end of this week, I will begin duties as the Conference Minister of the Penn West Conference of the United Church of Christ. This book was given to me by a dear friend who considered the insights in it to be valuable to what he anticipates my ministry will be. Indeed, the magnifying glass I will be under will be far less intense than that faced by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, but I imagine that on that lesser scale there will still be points of congruity. I was intrigued by both the challenges that Williams faced and his responses to them, and in some ways, it served as a cautionary tale for me. The book did not shy away from what some would describe as either “limitations” or downright “failures” of one of the greatest Christian leaders of our time. It is sobering for me to consider Williams’ weaknesses in light of my own, and I am grateful to Rupert Shortt for providing this well-written window into the Archbishop’s world. Even more, I am grateful to Rowan Williams, whose willingness to cooperate with such a candid and revealing biography not only speaks volumes about the depth of his character but serves as a great source of pastoral encouragement to someone like me.

[Rachael Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good read through. Only goes up to 2008 but a great book. Not particularly biased - neither worshipping or satanising him - it sympathises with the difficulties of the demanding role at the same time as bringing criticism. Having finished it I understand why he made some of the choices he did, even if I still don't agree with some of them. The background information and the pulling together of resources shows the fuller picture, and brings a deeper understanding. As Rowan himself said a few years ago real conversation should not carry the aim for seeking agreement, but seeking understanding. This books gives that opportunity for open-mindedness.

[Tariq Mahmood · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book literary means a thourough discussion of his rule on the Anglican Church. It does capture glimpses of Rowan's brilliant broadcasts like the gay and sharia in England though. Personally I think Rowan's idea of including Sharia into the English law is a great plan to really take away the heckling power of the Western Muslims. If implemented, the Muslims living in the West will be given a choice to choose between Sharia and non-Sharia law, effectively asking them to 'walk the talk'....

[Miranda Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interetsing biography of a very impressive man, so intelligent and compassionate. His downfall seems to be that he listens to everyone but doesn't impress his owm viewpoint on others as he wants so much to have a concensus.The horrendous critical pressure from the media that he suff.ers is not to be envied

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real insight into the man

[Robin Fox]

Much more readable than I expected. Enjoyed this book, very insightful

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because of the brilliant way Rupert Shortt told Williams' story, I now want to read his books.