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Lord Rowan Williams

Dr Rowan Williams

Areas of Interest

Campaigner, Charity

Honorary Award

Honorary doctor of Pastoral Theology, 2013

Biography

Lord Williams retired as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of 2012 after ten years of intensely public service leading the Church of England and the 77-million-strong worldwide Anglican Communion. The post of Archbishop of Canterbury dates back over 1,400 years to Augustine, the 'apostle to the English', who was appointed in the year 597.

Having originally studied theology at Cambridge University, Lord Williams has now returned to Cambridge to take up the post of Master of Magdalene College. He has also accepted the role of Chair of the board of trustees of Christian Aid, a British charity which campaigns for the relief of poverty around the world. In addition, Lord Williams is also the Chancellor of the University of South Wales.

Lord Williams is acknowledged internationally as an outstanding theological writer, scholar and teacher. He has been involved in many theological, ecumenical and educational commissions and has written across a very broad range of related fields of professional study - philosophy, theology and spirituality, as well as art and literature. His extensive writings range across moral, ethical and social topics and, after becoming archbishop, he turned his attention increasingly to contemporary cultural and interfaith issues.

Lord Williams's widely acclaimed book, Faith in the Public Square, was published shortly before he stepped down as archbishop last year. In it, he expounds on his belief that the church has a vital role to play in representing the voices of the most vulnerable in society, and to challenge any attempt made by the state to abandon their cause.

Amid controversies raging publicly about the validity of same-sex marriage and the admission of both women and gay priests to the episcopacy, Lord Williams always managed to take a position which emphasised unity and humanity.



Citation

Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to read the citation for Lord Williams of Oystermouth for the award of Doctor of Pastoral Theology, honoris causa.

Lord Williams hardly needs any introduction, although one is certainly merited. A very public figure, Rowan Williams retired as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of 2012 after ten years of intensely public service leading the Church of England and the 77-million-strong worldwide Anglican Communion. The post of Archbishop of Canterbury dates back over 1,400 years to Augustine, the 'apostle to the English', who was appointed in the year 597.

Lambeth Palace's loss is East Anglia's gain, however, and we are delighted to welcome Lord Williams back to the area. Having originally studied theology at Cambridge University, he has now returned to that city to take up the post of Master of Magdalene College. Lord Williams has also accepted the role of Chair of the board of trustees of Christian Aid, a British charity which campaigns for the relief of poverty around the world.

Lord Williams has strong links with education. He was a tutor at one of our partner colleges, Westcott House, from 1977 to 1980, was also the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford from 1986 to 1992, and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1989.

In 1990 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy and earlier this year became a life peer, taking the title 'Baron of Oystermouth in the City and County of Swansea'.

Lord Williams is acknowledged internationally as an outstanding theological writer, scholar and teacher. He has been involved in many theological, ecumenical and educational commissions and has written across a very broad range of related fields of professional study - philosophy, theology and spirituality, as well as art and literature. His extensive writings range across moral, ethical and social topics and, after becoming archbishop, he turned his attention increasingly to contemporary cultural and interfaith issues.

His widely acclaimed book, Faith in the Public Square, was published shortly before he stepped down as archbishop last year. In it, Lord Williams expounds on his belief that the church has a vital role to play in representing the voices of the most vulnerable in society, and to challenge any attempt made by the state to abandon their cause.

Perhaps more than anything, Lord Williams will be recognised, remembered and valued for his achievements in doing what, at times, must have seemed an impossible task - that of holding together the worldwide Anglican Communion during a particularly challenging period in its history. Indeed, as he said in 2002, "You'd have to be a maniac not to have doubts about accepting the job of leading the Church of England."

However, amid controversies raging publicly about the validity of same-sex marriage and the admission of both women and gay priests to the episcopacy, Lord Williams always managed to take a position which emphasised unity and humanity.

Regardless of whether we might individually share his spiritual beliefs, we at Anglia Ruskin University have always appreciated Lord Williams' approach, which we find to be in harmony with our own views on the value of the individual and of open debate. Unsurprisingly, Lord Williams holds particular views on higher education. At a recent address to Canterbury Christchurch University, he argued that: "universities historically have existed not simply for the pursuit of learning, but for the pursuit of intelligent citizenship, requiring the ability to weigh different perspectives, and the ability to argue in public. The life of a university is in large part about everyone being reminded that there are other ways of approaching the world."

For his great leadership and humanity, Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to present Lord Williams of Oystermouth for the award of Doctor of Pastoral Theology, honoris causa.