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Outspoken Anglican head takes over
LONDON, England -- Rowan Williams, an outspoken opponent of U.S. policies in Afghanistan and Iraq, has officially become the new Archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the world's 70 million Anglicans. The 52-year-old softly-spoken Archbishop of Wales and honorary druid formally took over the job at a ceremony in St Paul's Cathedral, London on Monday. He will be enthroned as the religious head of the Church of England at the end of February. As well as being a critic of U.S. "hawks" on Iraq, Williams has angered conservatives nearer to home by being openly tolerant of gay clergy and same-sex relationships as well as promoting women as bishops. He has also upset traditionalists by saying the church is too hierarchical with too much dressing up by clergy in extravagant "uniforms."
Williams, who was in lower Manhattan on September 11 as terrorist strikes brought down the World Trade Center, has criticised the U.S.-led war on terrorism, and has condemned sanctions against Iraq and the American threats of military action against the regime of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Writing earlier this year about the war on terrorism, Williams said: "It is just possible to deplore civilian casualties and retain moral credibility when an action is clearly focused and its goals are on the way to evident achievement. "It is not possible when the strategy appears confused and political leaders talk about a war that may last for years." On homosexuality, he said in a BBC profile on Sunday: "It seems to me rather sad, and rather revealing, that when it comes to sex we suddenly become much less intelligent about our reading of the Bible. "If the Bible is very clear -- as I think it is -- that a heterosexual indulging in homosexual activity for the sake of variety and gratification is not following the will of God, does that automatically say that that is the only sort of homosexual activity there could ever be? "My own personal conclusion is that I can see a case for acknowledging faithful same-sex relationships," he added.
In an interview with the UK weekly newspaper Church Times just days before he officially took up his new job, Williams proved that the prospect of his new responsibilities has left him undaunted. Williams, who describes himself as a poser of questions, said that his church -- already split over the decision to ordain women as priests -- had to get to grips with the even more divisive issue of ordaining them as bishops. "I see no theological objection to consecrating women as bishops," he said. "You can't indefinitely perpetuate a situation in which, in one body, the ministry of some is regarded wholly negatively." His baptism of fire over his stances on gays and his induction as an honorary druid have made an impression. "I have learned there is no such thing as a private letter, either from, or to, me," he told the Church Times. "I think I have learned quite a bit about the church that I didn't really know. There is a certain amount of blood on my face." Williams was chosen by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in July to be the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, succeeding the Most Rev. George Carey, who is retiring on October 31 after 11 years. Williams, who was one of two nominees given to Blair, has been praised in some church quarters as an orthodox Christian and a deep thinker. Desmond Tutu, the former archbishop of Cape Town, has said he is "the leading theologian in our communion."
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