New Archbishop of Canterbury Addresses Concerns Expressed by Critics
Episcopal News Service. August 8, 2002 [2002-188-2]
Archbishop Rowan Williams of Wales, newly appointed archbishop of Canterbury, has sent a letter to his international colleagues in the Anglican Communion, asking for their prayers and addressing concerns expressed by his critics, especially on sexuality issues.
'At the moment I am chiefly conscious of bringing to the task only the fear, the confusion and the sense of inadequacy that come from my personal resources,' he said in the letter to Anglican Communion primates dated July 23. 'I have to trust that God will give (not least through your fellowship and intercession) what is needed--and that I shall have the grace to receive and respond to what he gives.'
Addressing the 'disquiet' expressed by some over his views on 'certain questions, in particular on human sexuality,' Williams said that 'an archbishop is not someone elected to fulfil a programme or manifesto of his own devising, but to serve the whole Communion. He does not have the freedom to prescribe belief for the Church at large.'
As a participant in the international conversation on sexuality, he said that he hoped that 'what I have written has contributed to the continuing discussion but my ideas have no authority beyond that of an individual theologian.' He also said that the 1998 Lambeth Conference resolution against the ordination of non-celibate gays and lesbians or blessing of their relationships 'declares clearly what is the mind of the overwhelming majority in the Communion and what the Communion will and will not approve or authorise. I accept that any individual diocese or even province that officially overturns or repudiates this resolution poses a substantial problem for the sacramental unity of the Communion.'
Williams said that he had always tried to distinguish between 'personal theories and interpretations and the majority conviction of my church.' He added, 'Since the Lambeth resolution also commends continuing reflection on these matters, my main hope will be to try and maintain a mutually respectful climate for such reflection, in the sort of shared prayerful listening to Scripture envisaged by Lambeth.' He expressed the hope that 'we can hold to the urgent common priority of mission and evangelism, and avoid the temptation of becoming trapped in questions where the politics of our culture sets the agenda.'
Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold shared the Williams letter with the bishops of the Episcopal Church as part of background for their September meeting in Cleveland, pointing out that the letter 'speaks for itself and underscores a point that I have frequently made: If we are a Communion and not simply a loose association of national churches then we must take with full seriousness how our actions affect other parts of the Communion.'