Why I am Steamed Over the +Rowan Letters

I don’t know of anyone who is shocked over Rowan William’s letters on homosexuality from earlier this decade, not long before he became Archbishop of Canterbury. I’m certainly not. But they do remind me why I’ve had it with that occupant of the Chair of St. Augustine. And, no, his lame explanation with the backing of the usual company men doesn’t appease me.

Now, I’m not steamed because his views on the subject are different than mine. I assumed that was the case even back when I had a positive view of him and had a degree of hope in his leadership. But back then, I trusted him to do what he said he would do – to put the teaching and discipline of the Anglican Communion above his personal views and to act accordingly.

In that, he has woefully and willfully failed. Time and again, and particularly with his Lambeth invitations, he has chosen to undermine other instruments of the Communion, particularly the Primates Meetings and Lambeth 1998, and to withhold discipline from the North American apostates. Dr. Williams says, “As Archbishop I understand my responsibility to be to the declared teaching of the church I serve, and thus to discourage any developments that might imply that the position and convictions of the worldwide Communion have changed.” But his enabling actions and inactions speak louder and have more effect than his words.

I should have known he would enable, not discipline, the apostates in the end. Personal views do matter.

And someone whose personal views are so out of synch with the clear teaching of the Anglican Communion (Or at least it was clear before he became the ABC.) had no business becoming a bishop, much less the Archbishop of Canterbury.