Jew World Order

• Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu is tipped to replace him when he leaves at the end of the year
• ‘It has been an enormous privilege being
  Archbishop of Canterbury, you are given access to the life of churches
  worldwide in a really unique way,’ he said
• Despite waning congregations he believes that the church is not losing popularity just that too many ‘don’t know how religion works’
• PM David Cameron expresses gratitude to Dr Williams for his ‘support and advice’ while in Downing Street

By
Martin Robinson

PUBLISHED:

05:51 EST, 16 March 2012

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UPDATED:

08:13 EST, 16 March 2012

Rowan Williams has announced he is stepping down as Archbishop of Canterbury after a turbulent decade in office.

The leader of the 77 million-strong Anglican Church will stand down at the end of the year and is tipped to be replaced by Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu, who would be the first black holder of the prestigious office.

Dr Sentamu has been made the bookies’ favourite to succeed him but some say that he could be considered too right-wing to get the job.

It came as the Government gave the go-ahead for gay marriage in Britain and Dr Williams’ tenure has been marked by a bruising war between liberals and traditionalists in the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion over the issue of homosexuality.

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Past and future? Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu, left, is now tipped to replace Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, right, who announced his departure this morning

Explaining his reasons for leaving, Dr Williams said: ‘At the end of this year I will have been 10 years in post as Archbishop and just over 20 years as a bishop – that is part of it, feeling that after 10 years it is proper to pray and reflect and review your options.

‘It has been an enormous privilege being Archbishop of Canterbury, you are given access to the life of churches worldwide in a really unique way.

‘The privilege is that you are taken into the heart of the local church’s life for a few days, you see what really matters to people in parishes, schools and prisons and hospices and so forth.

‘I think there must be very few jobs where you have quite that degree of open doors for you.’

Crowning moment: Dr Williams married Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29 last year in front of millions across Britain and the world

David Cameron has paid tribute to Dr Williams for his ‘dedicated service’ as Archbishop.

‘As a man of great learning and humility, he has guided the church through times of challenge and change,’ the Prime Minister said.

‘He has sought to unite different communities and offer a profoundly humane sense of moral leadership that was respected by people of all faiths and none.

‘As Prime Minister, I have been grateful for his support and advice and for the work he has done around the world, particularly in Africa where he has taken such a close interest in the Sudan.’

Dr Williams said this morning that he ‘deeply’ treasured his connection with the Diocese of Canterbury.

He said he did not believe that Christianity was losing the battle against secularisation in Britain.

‘I think there is a great deal of interest still in the Christian faith,’ he said.

Controversial: Dr Williams has resigned just weeks after saying that a new marriage law for gay couples would amount to forcing unwanted change on the rest of the nation

‘Although I think there is also a lot
of ignorance and rather dim-witted prejudice about the visible
manifestations of Christianity, which sometimes clouds the discussion.

‘I don’t think that there is somehow a single great argument that the Church is losing.’

He added: ‘What I think slightly
shadows the whole thing is this sense that there are an awful lot of
people now of a certain generation who don’t really know how religion
works, let alone Christianity in particular, and that leads to
confusions, sensitivities in the wrong areas – ‘does wearing a cross
offend people who have no faith or non-Christians?’ well I don’t think
it does.

‘But people worry that it will.

‘That is partly because there is a slight tone deafness about how religious belief works.

‘Yes, there is a challenge and yes,
the Church’s public role is more contested than it used to be, and yes,
we have to earn our right to speak more than perhaps was once the case
but that is probably good for us.’

He said that there were a number of
‘watersheds’ this year, such as the forthcoming vote by the General
Synod, the National Assembly of the Church of England, on whether to
give final approval to legislation introducing women bishops.

This has led to several years of
tortuous negotiations and the departure of some Anglican bishops to the
Catholic Church.

‘A number of what I call watersheds seemed to make this a reasonable moment, at least, to think about moving on,’ he said.

‘When a possibility arrived that looked credible and attractive, it seemed right to think about it.’

He added that the next Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops from around the world is in 2018.
Leaving at the end of the year would give his successor time to prepare.

‘Crisis management is never a favourite activity, I have to admit, but it is not as if that has overshadowed everything.

‘It has certainly been a major nuisance.

Maverick: The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu is a seen both as a visionary and controversial character who is known for stunts like sky-diving with the Red Devils, pictured in 2008, as well as cutting up his dog collar on live TV

‘But in every job that you are in there are controversies and conflicts and this one isn’t going to go away in a hurry.

‘I can’t say that it is a great sense of “free at last”.’

Asked about the worst aspects of his job as Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Williams said: ‘The worst aspects of the job, I think, have been the sense that there are some conflicts that won’t go away, however long you struggle with them, and that not everybody in the Anglican Communion or even in the Church of England is eager to avoid schism or separation.

‘But I certainly regard it as a real priority to try and keep people in relationship with each other.’

WHO IS IN THE RUNNING TO BE THE NEXT ARCHBISHOP?

Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu is the clear favourite (11/8).

He is often in the news whether he is sky-diving for charity, standing up for Britain’s armed forces or campaigning on international issues.

Famously in 2007 he cut up his dog collar on live television in a dramatic protest against Robert Mugabe’s rule in Zimbabwe and vowed never to wear one again until he stands down.

Other possible contenders to replace Dr Williams include Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London (5/2).

Dr Chartres, 64, who is close to
members of the Royal Family, gave the address at the marriage of the
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last year and is known for campaigning on
environmental issues.

Liverpool-born the Rt Rev Nick Baines, 54, Bishop of Bradford, is also viewed as a contender for the post (8/1)

Dr Williams has been at the heart of the debate over gay marriage and said last month that the law has no right to legalise same-sex marriage.

‘If it is said that a failure to legalise
assisted suicide – or same-sex marriage – perpetuates stigma or
marginalisation for some people, the reply must be, I believe, that
issues like stigma and marginalisation have to be addressed at the level
of culture rather than law,’ he said.

David Cameron would be acting like a ‘dictator’ and overruling the Bible if he legalises gay marriage, Dr John Sentamu also warned.

He told the prime minister in January that he will face a rebellion if he pushes ahead with plans to allow fully-fledged gay marriages.

Favourite Dr Sentamu, is dubbed by some as ‘cleric of the people’, he is known for his high-profile interventions.

In 2007 he cut up his dog collar on live television in a dramatic protest against Robert Mugabe’s rule, vowing never to wear the symbol of his office again until the Zimbabwe president had been removed from power.

Dr Sentamu also once pitched a tent and camped in York Minster for a week, foregoing food, in solidarity with those who had suffered in the Middle East conflict.

The Archbishop has gained a reputation for supporting the armed forces – sky-diving to raise money for families of servicemen wounded or killed in Afghanistan – and for speaking out against bankers and traders responsible for the financial crisis.

DR JOHN SENTAMU: THE BELIEFS OF THE SKY-DIVING UGANDAN REFUGEE AND ‘CLERIC OF THE PEOPLE’

The hot favourite to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury and first black leader of the Anglican Church has become well known for his strong opinions on the state of British society.

Dr Sentamu, pictured right, the sixth of 13 brothers and
sisters, and a former barrister and judge, came to the UK in 1974 having
fled Uganda where he was a critic of the dictator Idi Amin.

Dubbed by some as ‘cleric of the people’ he has most recently had a public row with the Government over gay marriage, accusing David Cameron of acting like a
‘dictator’ and overruling the Bible if he chose to legalise it.

He attracted controversy – and racist emails – when he spoke out against this issue.

Recently he also launched a tirade against Britain’s financial institutions and bankers for their role in the collapse of the UK economy.

Using the words of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, he said: ‘Banks are more dangerous than a standing army. They can destroy individuals, communities and nations.’

Famously in 2007 he cut up his dog collar on live television in a dramatic protest against Robert Mugabe’s rule, vowing never to wear the symbol of his office again until the Zimbabwe president had been removed from power.

He has also pitched a tent and camped in York Minster for a week, and sky-dived to raise money for families of servicemen wounded or killed in Afghanistan.

In an attack on England he also argued the country must do more to mark St George’s Day on April 23, warning a failure to do so would lead only to greater political extremism.

Dr Sentamu’s enthronement in 2005 featured a ceremony with African singing and dancing and contemporary music, with Dr Sentamu playing African drums during the service.

Such is his popularity in his archdiocese of York that he was named Yorkshire Man of the Year in 2007.

As Bishop of Stepney in east London, Dr Sentamu acted as an adviser to the inquiry into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. He has also campaigned against guns, knives, drugs and gangs.

Dr Sentamu is married with two grown-up children and two grown-up foster children.

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