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The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Douglas Williams, FBA (born 14 June 1950 ) is the 104th Archbishop Of Canterbury , a Theologian , Poet , and Lecturer . BIOGRAPHY Rowan Williams was born in Swansea , Wales , into a Welsh -speaking family. He was educated at Dynevor School, Swansea, at Christ's College, Cambridge , and at Christ Church and Wadham College , Oxford where he obtained his Doctorate . He has taught Theology at the University Of Oxford and the University Of Cambridge , where he was also Dean of Clare College . Dr Williams' summer residence is in the Oxfordshire town of Charlbury , and when resident on Sundays, he worships at the local church. CAREER In 1991 he was elected Bishop Of Monmouth , and in 1999 he was made Archbishop Of Wales . In 2002 he was announced as the successor to George Carey as Archbishop Of Canterbury in the Church Of England and, therefore, leader of the Anglican Communion . Williams was the first Archbishop of Canterbury to be appointed from outside the Church Of England . (Instead he was a member of the Non-established Anglican Body In Wales ). He was Enthroned on 27 February 2003 as the 104th Archbishop Of Canterbury . In December 2005, he will be inaugurated as the first Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University . In 2006 the University Of Cambridge conferred an honorary degree of Doctor Of Divinity on Rowan Williams. REACTION TO APPOINTMENT AS ARCHBISHOP Williams's selection as Archbishop prompted divergent reactions. Many commentators welcomed his evident intellectual gifts and regarded him as a figure who could make Christianity credible to the intelligent unbeliever. On the other hand some Evangelical and conservative Anglicans were troubled by his opinions on the Ordination Of Women as bishops and on Homosexuality . The clergy of St Helen's (London) resigned their church salaries in protest of Williams's views on homosexuality. Some also regarded as unorthodox his views on central doctrinal issues such as revelation, sin and salvation, though this attracted less popular attention. Williams is patron of Affirming Catholicism . Despite his comparatively liberal views, many gay Anglicans feel Williams has become less vocal and more conciliatory to conservatives in his approach to the issue since becoming Archbishop of Cantebury. INVOLVEMENT IN ISSUES Views on Orthodox Christianity While still Archbishop of Wales, he responded to 12 theses for a new Reformation by John Spong , then-Episcopalian bishop of Newark, New Jersey. Characteristically charitable, Williams went on to articulate a very clear exposition of orthodox Christianity. He is a highly respected scholar of the Church Fathers, as well as a historian of Christian spirituality, and his deep engagement with the classical sources of the Church is quite clear throughout his books and sermons. He did his doctoral work on Vladimir Lossky , the famous Russian Orthodox theologian of the early-mid 20th century, and is currently patron of the Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius , an ecumenical forum for Orthodox and Western - primarily Anglican - theologians. Druidry He courted controversy in August 2002 when he was inducted into the Gorsedd Of Bards , a pseudo-ancient Welsh honorary order which involves " Druidic " ceremonies but which is not explicitly religious. Phillip Pullman In March 2004, in a speech at Downing Street and in an article published in '' The Guardian '', he praised Philip Pullman 's trilogy '' His Dark Materials '', which was described by the Association Of Christian Teachers as "shameless blasphemy" and by the ''Catholic Herald'' as "fit for the bonfire". Williams' view was that the proper Christian response to Pullman's novel was an intelligent critique that recognised the book's considerable literary merits, rather than a simple condemnation. Homosexuality 2003 saw Williams' views on homosexuality among the clergy in the spotlight, with the issue of the proposed ordination of Gay priest Jeffrey John as Bishop Of Reading . Following protest from Anglican bishops in the developing world, Williams asked John to withdraw his candidacy. Criticism of Television In March 2004 he criticised the ITV television series '' Footballers' Wives '' for representing what he saw as the immorality of much contemporary British life, claiming that it reflected "a world in which charity and fairness, generosity, a sense of perspective about yourself are all swept aside." The Iraq war On 30 June 2004 , together with the Archbishop Of York , David Hope , and on behalf of all 114 Church Of England bishops, he wrote to Tony Blair , expressing deep concern about UK Government policy and criticising the Coalition troops' conduct in Iraq . The letter cited the abuse of Iraqi detainees, which was described as having been "deeply damaging" - and stated that the government's apparent double standards "diminish the credibility of western governments". (BBC) (''The Scotsman'') Immigration and Crime On 31 March 2005 , he voiced disquiet in a '' Newsnight '' interview regarding the use of fear tactics and negativity about issues such as immigration and crime by the various parties campaigning in the British elections. He attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II , the first Archbishop of Canterbury to attend a funeral of a Pope since the break under King Henry VIII . He also attended the Installation of Pope Benedict XVI . Criticism from within the Anglican Church In a November 2005 letter to Williams, a number of prominent theologically conservative including further concilatory pleas (Guardian Online) . Questions about the letter's provenance emerged the following day, as one of the signatory primates (Clive Handford, Primate of Jerusalem) denounced its publication, saying that he had never given permission for his name to be used [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2005%2F11%2F18%2Fnchur18.xml]. Several other primates decried the letter [http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/80256FA1003E05C1/httpPublicPages/D9198E24B04AF154802570C3004D71DA?opendocument], including its being made public before it had been delivered to Williams, and denied their affiliation with it. Creationism In March 2006, in an interview in The Guardian , Williams expressed the view that Creationism should not be taught in schools {Link without Title} , describing it as "a kind of category mistake, as if the Bible were a theory like other theories". WORKS
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