Episcopal Non-Leadership

The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered a message to the General Synod of the CofE today where he addressed, among other things, keeping the Anglican Communion together, women bishops in the CofE, life issues, and homosexuals and the Church. From what I read of it it seemed like a lot of typical Anglican fudge. Someone on the inside who had access to the speech beforehand apparently described it as "brilliant". Personally I do not see what is brilliant about trying to reconcile two completely different views of Christianity, morality, anthropology, and more. I would say that it is "ballsy" for one to try to do this, but more compromise and "Rodney King theology" ("Why can't we all just get along?") hardly strikes me as brilliance.

As an outsider Rowan Williams strikes me as being a complete flop as an archbishop. He seems to be equally reviled by conservatives and liberals in the Church. Bishop Spong, of all people, publicly criticized Rowan Williams for putting unity before truth! I think the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church is a much better bishop and leader than Williams, even though I radically disagree with her. Why? Because she is very clear about where she stands on these important issues, and has the courage to stand up for what she believes to be true.

A bishop - especially a presiding bishop - besides being well-educated and having lots of ministry experience, must also have clear convictions on the nature and purpose of the Gospel and the Catholic Church. Nothing hurts a church more than when theological murkiness and ambiguity run amok.