Quite enough on Rowan

I had hoped I would resist the temptation, particularly as it is Lent, to post again about this matter. However this morning’s reports of Church of England representatives ‘rallying around Rowan Williams’, and in particular the endorsement of the Bishop of Blackburn, proved irresistible. Nicholas Reade, Bishop of Blackburn said:

“Dr Williams has shown outstanding leadership and signalled that the Church must move on from this controversy”.

I remain to be convinced that the ability to find the paddle when up S*** Creek marks someone out as an outstanding leader; not least because in the real world we apply a slightly more stringent set of criteria. But if the bishops are happy (and  clearly they are easily pleased), then so be it. My view is that once again Rowan Williams has demonstrated that he is exactly the opposite.

I fear that Mathew d’Ancona was right in his Coffee House post The Archbishop of Cant , when he wrote:

“It has been said by one or two more astute commentators since the row over sharia began last Thursday that Dr Williams’s whispering diffidence conceals an intellectual arrogance that lies at the heart of the problem. . . This [his explanation] was peevish stuff, dressed up as prayerful thoughtfulness. Dr Williams has a lot more explaining to do.”

I will do my best to make this post my final comment on this subject , as there are so many other more interesting and relevant things to write about. Which doesn’t say much for the Church of England.