The Lead

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has apologized for saying in passing something that is incontestably true: the Catholic Church in Ireland, which has knowingly sheltered child rapists for decades, has lost all credibility.

The Guardian is right in saying that Williams had no reason to apologize, but the bizarre overreaction by both the Irish Church and the Anglican Primate of Ireland shows how deeply entrenched the clerical attitude of privilege is in Ireland. (Read the quote. Williams didn’t even devote a full sentence to the “condemnation” that the media picked up on. Listen to the full interview here) Williams’ apology demonstrates what we already know about him—that he lacks the courage of his convictions if those convictions offend anyone to his theological right.

One especially interesting passage from the Guardian's editorial points out that leaders of the Catholic Church have heaped public scorn on Williams and the Anglican Communion for years without provoking the kind of whining that the stray clause which Williams uttered last week unleashed:

No one can blame Williams for pointing this out, nor indeed for getting his own back for years of patronising comments and aggressive behaviour from the Roman church. The official Vatican observer at the last Lambeth conference appeared to say that the Anglican communion was suffering from Parkinson's disease. Pope Benedict has personally encouraged the schism in the Anglican churches over homosexuality and most recently announced, to the consternation of even his own church here, a scheme to allow the Anglican opponents of women priests to convert in groups. That has been so far an almost complete fiasco, drawing in only the members of a group calling itself the Traditional Anglican Communion, which has turned out to be neither traditional nor Anglican, nor a communion.

There are, in the midst of this posturing, many Catholics willing to examine the flaws of their Church. Mark Vernon points us to a column by Clifford Longley of The Tablet, which is behind a registration wall. Vernon writes:

He contrasts Catholic Social Teaching with Catholic Sexual Teaching. The social teaching is based upon relationships - the goods, and ills, that arise from a shared life. The sexual teaching is based upon prohibitions - blunt rules that bear little or no relation to life as lived. Witness celibacy, contraception, divorce, homosexuality. The absolute rules on these matters don't make for human flourishing. They are stones that sink lives, should individuals be unfortunate enough to find themselves tied to them. That disconnect is part of the problem now: if the social teaching is vigorous because it's grounded in the experience that people have of trying to live well, the hierarchy has drained itself of wisdom in matters of personal relationships.

Thinking Anglicans has an excellent round-up of the coverage of Williams' remark.

Comments (7)

I am sorry but I no longer have respect for the ABC. If we do not sign the covenant and receive a second-place standing within the Communion, it would be fine by me.

Let's continue our work with other provinces that we already that can embrace challenge and honesty.

Posted by E Sinkula | April 5, 2010 10:35 AM

Obviously I meant "let's continue work with the provinces we already have. Ones that will embrace challenge and honesty". Poor typing this morning!

Posted by E Sinkula | April 5, 2010 10:40 AM

The ABC had absolutely nothing for which to apologize. As you say, even the Irish Anglicans turned against Rowen for speaking the truth. Once again, Rowan waffles and ends up pleasing no one.

The English and Irish Anglicans are far more concerned with Rome's opinions than we are here in the Episcopal Church. We remain aware that the powers in the RCC think our Holy Orders and our Eucharists are as nothing.

June Butler

Posted by GrandmèreMimi | April 5, 2010 11:24 AM

This dustup really needs to be looked at in the context of Irish-Anglo history and the complicated roles the Church of Ireland and the Church of England have played in Irish history rather than as a case of whining or overreaction.

(Editor's note: Thanks for the comment. Please leave your full name next time.)

Posted by David C | April 5, 2010 11:44 AM

That's a fair point, David. But I still think the Irish bishops' response was overly sensitive.

Posted by Jim Naughton | April 5, 2010 11:51 AM

He absolutely had no reason to apologize...but I knew almost immediately upon reading his initial remarks that he would. So sad...

Posted by Chris Epting | April 5, 2010 12:10 PM

Meanwhile the apology we're still waiting for is the one from the ABofC for NOT speaking out for LGBT people in fear for their lives in Uganda.

Susan Russell

Posted by revsusan | April 5, 2010 7:09 PM

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