Rowan Douglas Williams

Home > People > Philosophy and Religion > Protestant Christianity: Biographies

Rowan Douglas Williams archbishop of Canterbury (2002–), b. Swansea, Wales; grad. Christ's College, Cambridge (B.A., 1971; M.A., 1975), Wadham College, Oxford (D.Phil., 1975). Ordained a priest in 1978, he was a teacher, dean, and chaplain at Cambridge (1977–86) and a professor of theology at Oxford (1986–92). He subsequently served as bishop of Monmouth (1992–2002) and archbishop of Wales (2000–2002). When Williams was enthroned (2002) as the 104th archbishop of Canterbury, succeeding George L. Carey , he became the first person from outside England to hold the title since the Reformation. An outspoken and sometimes controversial liberal, Williams has supported the ordination of women and gay priests, favored separation of church and state, and opposed Western (especially American) militarism. His tenure as Anglican primate has been marked by worsening relations between liberals and conservatives in the church, especially between conservative African churches and liberal North American ones, and he has worked to avoid a schism and maintain Anglican unity. Williams is a theologian and scholar whose books include Christian Spirituality (1980), The Truce of God (1983), On Christian Theology (1999), Writing in the Dust: After September 11 (2002), Lost Icons (2002), and studies of Arius (1987) and Theresa of Ávila (1991). He has also written volumes of poetry.

Williams, Rowan Douglas Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England (2002– ).

Dr Williams was Professor of Theology at Oxford University from 1986–1992. He was enthroned as Bishop of Monmouth in 1992 and Archbishop of Wales in 2000. His sympathetic stance towards single-sex marriage and outspoken response to post-September 11th military aggression earned him a reputation as a radical amongst some sections of the Anglican church. See also evangelicalism