Editing Rowan Williams (section)

===Episcopal ministry===
On 5 December 1991, Williams was elected [[Bishop of Monmouth]] in the [[Church in Wales]]: he was consecrated a bishop on 1 May 1992 at [[St Asaph Cathedral]] and enthroned at [[Newport Cathedral]] on 14 May. He continued to serve as Bishop of Monmouth after he was elected to also be the [[Archbishop of Wales]] in December 1999, in which capacity he was enthroned again at Newport Cathedral on 26 February 2000.<ref name="abc">{{cite web|url=http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/pages/about-rowan-williams.html|archive-date=4 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120704201820/http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/pages/about-rowan-williams.html|title=About Rowan Williams|website=Archbishopofcanterbury.org|url-status=dead|access-date=23 December 2017}}</ref>

In 2002, he was announced as the successor to [[George Carey]] as [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] — the senior bishop in the [[Church of England]]. The Archbishop of Canterbury in England acts as a focus of unity recognised as ''[[primus inter pares]]'' ("first among equals") but does not exercise authority in Anglican provinces outside the Church of England. As a bishop of the [[disestablishmentarianism|disestablished]] Church in Wales, Williams was the first Archbishop of Canterbury since the [[English Reformation]] to be appointed to this office from outside the Church of England. His election by the [[cathedral chapter|Chapter]] of [[Canterbury Cathedral]] was confirmed by nine bishops in the customary ceremony in London on 2 December 2002, when he officially became Archbishop of Canterbury.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/021202.html |title=Archbishop Rowan Williams confirmed in office as Archbishop of Canterbury |website=ArchbishopofCanterbury.org |date=2 December 2002 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030115031627/http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/021202.html |archive-date=15 January 2003 |access-date=17 May 2023 }}</ref> He was [[enthronement|enthroned]] at [[Canterbury Cathedral]] on 27 February 2003 as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.

[[File:Rowan Williams 2012.jpg|thumb|Williams visiting the [[National Assembly for Wales]], March 2012]]
The [[translation (ecclesiastical)|translation]] of Williams to Canterbury was widely canvassed. As a bishop he had demonstrated a wide range of interests in social and political matters and was widely regarded, by academics and others, as a figure who could make Christianity credible to the intelligent unbeliever. As a patron of [[Affirming Catholicism]], his appointment was a considerable departure from that of his predecessor and his views, such as those expressed in a widely published lecture on homosexuality were seized on by a number of [[evangelical Anglicanism|evangelical]] and conservative Anglicans.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} The debate had begun to divide the Anglican Communion, however, and Williams, in his new role as its leader was to have an important role.

As Archbishop of Canterbury, Williams acted ''[[ex officio]]'' as [[visitor]] of [[King's College London]], the [[University of Kent]] and [[Keble College, Oxford]], governor of [[Charterhouse School]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.charterhouse.org.uk/charterhouseintroduction|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926032411/http://www.charterhouse.org.uk/charterhouseintroduction|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 September 2011|date=26 September 2011|access-date=23 December 2017|title=Charterhouse &#124; Charterhouse }}</ref> and, since 2005, as (inaugural) [[Chancellor (education)|chancellor]] of [[Canterbury Christ Church University]]. In addition to these ''ex officio'' roles, Cambridge University awarded him an [[Honorary degree|honorary]] [[Doctor of Divinity|doctorate in divinity]] in 2006;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ox.ac.uk/aboutoxford/annualreview/13.shtml |title=About Oxford, Annual Review |website=www.ox.ac.uk |access-date=18 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010502150704/http://www.ox.ac.uk/aboutoxford/annualreview/13.shtml |archive-date=2 May 2001 }}</ref> in April 2007, [[University of Trinity College|Trinity College]] and [[Wycliffe College]], both associated with the [[University of Toronto]], awarded him a joint Doctor of Divinity degree during his first visit to Canada since being enthroned and he also received honorary degrees and fellowships from various universities including [[University of Kent|Kent]], [[University of Oxford|Oxford]], and [[Roehampton University|Roehampton]].<ref>[http://www.debretts.co.uk/people/biographies/browse/c/19420/Rowan%20Douglas%20Williams+CANTERBURY.aspx] {{dead link|date=December 2017}}</ref>

Williams speaks or reads eleven languages: English, [[Welsh language|Welsh]], Spanish, French, German, Russian, [[Biblical Hebrew]], [[Syriac language|Syriac]], [[Latin]], and both [[Koine Greek|Ancient (koine)]] and [[Modern Greek]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/stories/s797569.htm |title=The Religion Report: 5 March 2003 – Homosexuality and the churches, pt. 2 |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=28 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211202146/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/stories/s797569.htm |archive-date=11 February 2009 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/2065 |title=Archbishop's New Statesman magazine interview |publisher=The Archbishop of Canterbury |access-date=18 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205080613/http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/2065 |archive-date=5 December 2010  }}</ref> He learnt Russian in order to be able to read the works of [[Fyodor Dostoevsky|Dostoevsky]] in the original.<ref name="BBC Russian">{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/russian/entertainment/newsid_7720000/7720087.stm|script-title=ru:Между алгеброй и гармонией|access-date=16 November 2008|last= Асланян|first= Анна|date= 12 November 2008|work=Culture|publisher=[[BBC Russian Service|BBCRussian.com]]|location= [[Bush House]], London|language= ru|quote=... он [Роуэн Уильямс] овладел русским специально для того, чтобы изучать Достоевского в оригинале.}}</ref>  He has since described his spoken German as a "disaster area" and said that he is "a very clumsy reader and writer of Russian".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/interviews/0023845-interview-rowan-williams.html|title=Interview: Rowan Williams|date=22 January 2013|website=Tcs.cam.ac.uk|access-date=23 December 2017}}</ref> He also stated that he knows some Italian,<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_v3A0QQ7tA |title=Interview with Dr. Rowan Williams, Master of Magdalene College, University of Cambridge. |date=2015-09-15 |last=Translating for Europe |access-date=2024-08-28 |via=YouTube}}</ref> that would mean he knows twelve languages.

Williams is also a poet and translator of poetry. His collection ''The Poems of Rowan Williams'', published by Perpetua Press, was longlisted for the [[Wales Book of the Year]] award in 2004. Besides his own poems, which have a strong spiritual and landscape flavour, the collection contains several fluent translations from [[Welsh poets]]. He was criticised in the press for allegedly supporting a "[[Paganism|pagan]] organisation", the Welsh [[Gorsedd of Bards]], which promotes Welsh language and literature and uses [[druidic]] ceremonial but is actually not religious in nature.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2172918.stm |title=Archbishop becomes druid |work=[[BBC News]]   |date= 5 August 2002|access-date=28 December 2008 }}</ref>

In 2005, [[Prince Charles]] married [[Camilla Parker Bowles]], a divorcee, in a civil ceremony. Afterwards, Williams gave the couple a formal service of blessing.<ref>{{cite news|title=Divorce and the church: how Charles married Camill|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/divorce-and-the-church-how-charles-married-camilla-cf88k667xa|newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=28 November 2017}}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In fact, the arrangements for the wedding and service were strongly supported<ref name="guardianwed">{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/feb/10/monarchy.constitution |first = Sarah |last = Left |title = Charles and Camilla to Marry |work = The Guardian |location = London |date = 10 February 2005 |access-date = 29 April 2016 }}</ref> by the Archbishop "consistent with the Church of England guidelines concerning remarriage".<ref name="rwsupport">{{cite web |url = http://rowanwilliams.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/1552/archbishop-statement-on-the-marriage-of-hrh-prince-of-wales-and-mrs-camilla-parker-bowles |first = Rowan |last = Williams |title = Statement of support |date = 10 February 2005 |access-date = 29 April 2016 |archive-date = 3 June 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160603001436/http://rowanwilliams.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/1552/archbishop-statement-on-the-marriage-of-hrh-prince-of-wales-and-mrs-camilla-parker-bowles |url-status = dead }}</ref> The "strongly-worded"<ref name="foxwed">{{cite news |url = https://www.foxnews.com/story/charles-and-camilla-to-confess-past-sins |title = Charles and Camilla to confess past sins |publisher = [[Fox News]] |date = 9 April 2005 |access-date = 29 April 2016 }}</ref> act of penitence by the couple, a confessional prayer written by [[Thomas Cranmer]], Archbishop of Canterbury, to [[King Henry VIII]],<ref name="indepwed">{{cite news |first = Jonathan |last = Brown |title = Charles and Camilla to repent their sins |work = Independent |date = 7 April 2005 <!-- |access-date = 29 April 2016--> }}</ref> was interpreted as a confession by the bride and groom of past sins, albeit without specific reference<ref name="foxwed"/> and going "some way towards acknowledging concerns" over their past misdemeanours.<ref name="indepwed"/>

Williams officiated at the [[wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton]] on 29 April 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rowanwilliams.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/1769/the-archbishop-of-canterbury-on-the-royal-wedding|title=The Archbishop of Canterbury on the Royal Wedding|website=Rowanwilliams.archbishopofcanterbury.org|access-date=23 December 2017|archive-date=24 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101308/http://rowanwilliams.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/1769/the-archbishop-of-canterbury-on-the-royal-wedding|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 16 November 2011, Williams attended a [[Church service|special service]] at [[Westminster Abbey]] celebrating the 400th anniversary of the [[Authorized King James Version|King James Bible]] in the presence of [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth]], [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] and [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]], Patron of the King James Bible Trust.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15754581 | work=BBC News | title=King James Bible: Queen marks 400th anniversary | date=16 November 2011 |access-date=25 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/284106/Archbishop-hails-King-James-Bible | publisher=EXPRESS UK News | title=Archbishop Hails King James Bible | date=16 November 2011 |access-date=25 December 2011}}</ref>

To mark the ending of his tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury, Williams presented a BBC television documentary about [[Canterbury Cathedral]], in which he reflected upon his time in office. Entitled ''Goodbye to Canterbury'', the programme was screened on 1 January 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pm9z6|title=BBC Two: Goodbye to Canterbury|access-date=16 August 2013|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

====2010 General Synod address====
{{see also|Ordination of women in the Anglican Communion}}
On 9 February 2010, in an address to the [[General Synod of the Church of England]], Williams warned that damaging infighting over [[Ordination of women|the ordination of women]] as bishops and [[Homosexuality and Roman Catholic priests|gay priests]] could lead to a permanent split in the Anglican Communion. He stressed that he did not "want nor relish" the prospect of division and called on the Church of England and Anglicans worldwide to step back from a "betrayal" of God's mission and to put the work of Christ before [[schism]]. But he conceded that, unless Anglicans could find a way to live with their differences over women as bishops and homosexual ordination, the church would change shape and become a multi-tier communion of different levels – a schism in all but name.<ref name=Times20100210>{{cite news
 | last = Gledhill
 | first = Ruth
 | title = Splitting the Anglican church may heal division, says Archbishop of Canterbury
 | newspaper = [[The Australian]] and [[The Times]]
 | date = 10 February 2010
 | url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/splitting-the-anglican-church-may-heal-division-says-archbishop-of-canterbury/story-e6frg6so-1225828632721
 | access-date = 22 February 2013}}</ref>

Williams also said that "it may be that the [[Covenant (biblical)|covenant]] creates a situation in which there are different levels of relationship between those claiming the name of Anglican. I don’t at all want or relish this, but suspect that, without a major change of heart all round, it may be an unavoidable aspect of limiting the damage we are already doing to ourselves." In such a structure, some churches would be given full membership of the Anglican Communion, while others had a lower-level form of membership, with no more than observer status on some issues. Williams also used his keynote address to issue a profound apology for the way that he had spoken about "exemplary and sacrificial" gay Anglican priests in the past. "There are ways of speaking about the question that seem to ignore these human realities or to undervalue them," he said. "I have been criticised for doing just this, and I am profoundly sorry for the carelessness that could give such an impression."<ref name="Times20100210"/>