THE 104TH ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

(written especially for my correspondents and friends in North America)

THE 104TH ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

Today July 23rd 2002 the Prime Minister's Office in 10 Downing Street will announce that Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Wales and Bishop of Monmouth, is appointed as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.

Nominated by a Commission and approved by the Prime Minister and Queen Elizabeth II, Dr Williams will succeed Dr George Carey at the end of 2002.

Dr Williams was Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford from 1986-1992 and then became Bishop of Monmouth. He has both the D.Phil and D.D. (earned) degrees from the University of Oxford.

In the late 1970s my former tutor, and then friend and counsellor, Professor Eric Mascall ( a most learned, orthodox and devout man), told me that he viewed Rowan as a remarkable young theologian and saw him as the future leading anglo-catholic theologian of the Anglican Church. Last year Rowan gave the Eric Mascall Memorial Lecture and has a great affection for Dr Mascall.

But I fear that some of the views/opinions that Rowan has embraced since the late 1970s would displease Dr Mascall if he were here, and not departed to be with his Lord. These include the acceptance of the ordination of women and of aspects of the lesbigay agenda for the church.

While the doctrine of the ordination of women is accepted or tolerated in most of the Thirty-Eight Provinces of the Anglican Communion of Churches (on the basis of the Eames' doctrine of reception), the doctrine that people of the same sex may live together in homosexual partnership under the blessing of God is not. In fact it is vehemently rejected. Thus the role of the See of Canterbury with Rowan sitting there is going to be severely tested and tried in the next few years. Of course, much of the tension would disappear if Rowan were to state clearly and unambiguously as well as very soon that he has not intentions at all of promoting the lesbigay agenda in the church.

As I think of Rowan, whom I have known casually for a long time, and as I think of Dr Mascall's hopes for him, the old evangelical words of the hymn come to mind:

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore,
Touched by a loving hand, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

I believe that deep in the soul of Rowan is the full, biblical and orthodox Faith of the Catholic Church of God (has he not written splendidly of aspects of this in some of his many writings?). I pray that under the gracious pressure of the Holy Ghost, and the prayerful kindness of the people of God, the chords of this wonderful symphony of truth (that we call the Catholic Faith) will vibrate in him and through him to the Church of England and to the whole Anglican Communion.

I composed this Collect a few days ago when I asked people to pray for Rowan as we all waited for the announcement from the Prime Minister. I invite you to pray it, or a similar one, with me.


Traditional form:

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in thy providence hast established the ancient See of Canterbury as the primary instrument of unity of the Anglican Communion of Churches, we pray for Rowan whom thou has called, through imperfect processes, to be the next (104th) Archbishop of Canterbury. By the abundance of thy mercy, grant that he, repenting of his sins and conforming to thy holy law and wisdom, will enter into this holy office in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of the same Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be ascribed glory and dominion now and for ever. Amen.

Contemporary form:

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in your providence have established the ancient See of Canterbury as the primary instrument of unity of the Anglican Communion of Churches, we pray for Rowan whom you have called through imperfect human processes to be the next (104th) Archbishop of Canterbury. By the abundance of your mercy may he repent of his sins, conform to your holy law and wisdom and enter this holy office in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of the same Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. To him, to you and to the Holy Spirit be given glory and praise by angels and humankind now and always. Amen.

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The Revd Dr Peter Toon July 23, 2002

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The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon
Minister of Christ Church, Biddulph Moor,
England & Vice-President and Emissary-at-Large
of The Prayer Book Society of America