Afternoon:
14°c
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
Ministry of Defence spent £149 million on an "urgent" upgrade to 900 tanks that are now only being used in training exercises, it was revealed
More...
'I was right to speak out on sharia law,' says Archbishop
Last updated at 00:22am on 13.02.08Rowan Williams apologised for starting the row over Islamic law that plunged the Church of England into crisis.
The Archbishop of Canterbury said he took responsibility for the "distress and misunderstanding" that swept through the Church and across the country after he called for a role for sharia law in Britain.
He blamed himself for "unclarity", misleading choice of words and clumsiness that provoked an unprecedented chorus of condemnation from Downing Street, all major political parties, fellow bishops and the Government's equality chief.
Scroll down for more...
Praise be: Dr Williams acknowledges the standing ovation
He refused to back down from his belief that there should be "additional choices" for Muslims under the law of the land.
But he did soften his arguments yesterday when he explained himself to the Church's parliament, the General Synod.
Last week the Archbishop said the introduction of sharia law "seems unavoidable".
Yesterday he said Islamic law should apply in Britain "if - and please note that word - this were thought to be a useful direction in which to move".
And Dr Williams dropped his call for sharia to apply to marriage law. Instead he pointed to "sensitive questions about the status and liberties of women".
The address by Dr Williams to the Synod followed four days of anger and dismay in the wake of his explosive lecture to lawyers and a BBC radio interview last week.
It was his second attempt to explain last Thursday's lecture. A first clarification had appeared on his website on Friday.
Yesterday the Archbishop entered the chamber to a standing ovation. And at the end of his address he again won applause from the 483-member gathering, suggesting that he may have fended off pressure on his job.
The Synod setpiece followed a weekend phone conversation between the Archbishop and Gordon Brown. Downing Street responded instantly to Dr Williams's lecture last Thursday by insisting that only laws made in Britain apply in this country.
Yesterday, in advance of the Archbishop's apologetic address, Mr Brown's spokesman said: "The Prime Minister believes the Archbishop is a man of great integrity and dedication to public and community service and he understands the difficulty he is facing.
Scroll down for more...
Unrepentant: The Archbishop of Canterbury refused to back down over his comments on sharia law when he addressed the General Synod today
"The Archbishop has been clarifying and setting in a wider context the comments he has made and I'm sure he will continue to do so in the future."
Dr Williams told the Synod: "I must take responsibility for any unclarity in either that text or in the radio interview, and for any misleading choice of words that has helped to cause distress or misunderstanding among the public at large and especially among my fellow Christians."
The Archbishop said it was right for him to speak about the "perceived concerns of other religious communities" and said some points in his lecture had been "distorted in the discussion".
Last week Dr Williams said there should be a market in justice in which people could choose between sharia law and British law in matters of marriage, banking and civil disputes.
Yesterday he said: "We are not talking about parallel jurisdictions; and I tried to make clear that there could be no blank cheques in this regard, in particular as regards some of the sensitive questions about the status and liberties of women.
"The law of the land still guarantees for all the basic components of human dignity. So the question remains of whether certain additional choices could and should be made available under the law of the United Kingdom for resolving disputes and regulating transactions."
The Archbishop said he had no illusions about the sufferings of Christians in Muslim countries.
But many Muslim countries, he said, do distinguish between the civil rights of citizens and the demands of Islamic law.
Scroll down for more...
Holy alliance: Lord Carey (left) claims sharia would be 'disastrous' for Britain while Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor said migrants 'must obey British laws'
"It is this that encourages me to think that there may be ways of engaging with the world of Islamic law on something other than an all-or-nothing basis," Dr Williams said. But his speech failed to convince all members of the Synod.
Canon Chris Sugden, of the evangelical grouping Anglican Mainstream, told the gathering: "Islam has never allowed itself to remain as a subservient legal system. Neither can its system be taken piecemeal on a pick and choose basis. It is an exclusive and integral law."
The next cloud on the horizon for Dr Williams is the gathering of worldwide Anglican bishops in July at which the issue of gay rights threatens to cause a split between liberals and conservatives.
Amid the controversy, No10 tried to distance itself from remarks by environment minister Phil Woolas, who said yesterday there was a problem with birth defects caused by Asian first-cousin marriages.
Mr Brown's spokesman said Mr Woolas had been speaking in his capacity as a constituency MP and added: "The Government's position is we believe these matters are best addressed locally, by local members of the community as well as by professional healthcare advisers."
How he sent the church into a spin
The Church of England has launched a major spin operation to try to defuse the row over Rowan Williams's views on sharia law.
Lambeth Palace suggested the archbishop's remarks had been taken out of context and that his academic lecture was too complex for laymen to understand.
These arguments could not, however, explain why he agreed to appear on BBC radio several hours before the lecture, answering questions about sharia law.
In Thursday's radio interview and lecture, Dr Williams used the phrase "seems unavoidable" to describe allowing sharia law a place alongside the law of the land.
The text of the lecture was released to the media.
In a statement issued on Friday, Lambeth Palace insisted the archbishop had made no proposals for sharia and "did not call for its introduction as some kind of parallel jurisdiction to the civil law".
Yet, explaining Dr Williams's lecture, Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark, said: "He suggested, for example, that members of the Muslim community might be permitted to follow rulings of the sharia applying to areas of family law."
Rallying to the archbishop's defence, Giles Fraser, Vicar of Putney in London and a Guardian writer, said the media reporting was over the top.
He added: "They have been a pack of dogs having a go without even trying to understand what he said."
Lambeth Palace has made no complaint to media watchdogs over coverage of the affair.
Reader views (30)
I must admit I haven't listened to the interview but I don't really want to. I am disinterested in how any church thinks we should live. Religion has destroyed enough lives and religious heads have always stood in the way of communities and individuals evolving in the natural flow of life.
- Real, London UK
We all need a 'wake-up' call to make us think about what is happening. Perhaps Dr Rowan Williams did us a good turn after all, and we know where Gordon Brown stands on the matter.
- Brian, Bristol
Rowan Williams talks as though he is the spiritual leader and conscience of this country. He is not ! He is boss of a religious organisation representing around 2% of our population.
This country is a secular democracy with laws made in our Parliament, not by unelected believers in sky gods, whatever their flavour.
- Sean Shalor, Coventry UK
Why it is right for Jewish people to have their own religious courts in UK and its not right for Muslims to do so? Most people who oppose Dr. Williams don't understand Sharia. All what we see is expression of their hate on Muslims and Islam.
- Ruwan, London, UK
He should resign, the C of E needs a leader who will defend the faith and fill the churches. This pathetic academic is more like his namesake's Mr Bean character, what can one say other than begone you silly man you are are no leader. An afterthought why does the Church of England have a Welsh man?
- Roz, Durham UK
Be merciful, he is old and batty. Just another mistake of our Tony
- Giorgio, London
In his position as leader of the Anglican faith Dr Williams needs to reflect very carefully about such controversial and public intellectual musings. An Oxbridge man he may be, but that is for nought if he cannot connect with the faithful in a clear and concise manner without causing such concern as he has whipped up in the last week. It shows a measure of intellectual arrogance that is not becoming to such public office.
- Steve, Hereford
"I believe quite strongly that it is not inappropriate to address issues around perceived concerns of other religious communities and bringing them to better public focus."
I realise that you're busy with all of your PR work for other religions but could you sometimes address Christians, because most of us would rather you addressed our concerns, bringing our concerns into better public focus.
- Tim Blight, Nottingham. England
You are the ignorant ones. Have you even listened to the interview? Maybe you should do that!
- Gus Wayne, Chichester
Not as wise as he should have been. The extreme and ill briefed reactions from clergy, prejudiced press and laymen show how divided the church is. The CofE under his leadership has a hope of demonstrating the love and compassion of Christ for all. Perhaps when we all have read his words and reflected and prayed about the positive words, we shall know that this may be a vital stage in the growing harmony in the UK.
- Rr, Stoke Poges, Bucks, UK
Another religious leader who is out of touch. Are all complete idiots.
- Terry S Senton, Hounslow, Middx
This man is trying to back track and he's doing it so badly. Since his appointment not once have I heard him proclaiming the Gospel of Chris or promoting Christianity. Why doesn't he just convert to Islam and leave Anglicans alone. With all the problems we have currently within the Anglican communion I think he should be spending time trying to unite Anglicans. I think he should go. We never wanted him in the first place he was foisted on us by Tony Blair, who wasn't even a practising Anglican. We need a true Christian Arch Bishop to lead us, not a mish mash theologian. Christianity is at risk in this country, we need someone who can promote Christianity and proclaim the Gospel.
- Gloria Bruce, London
Archbishop of confusion just increased the terror and persecution inflicted already on 1 in 10 Christians worldwide, over 100 million people.
He strengthens Sharia law enforced on their own people.
Sharia is not 'a law', like UK law. UK law has principles of certainty founded on Christian values of 'love your neighbour', with legal precedents, envied worldwide.
UK law has human rights.
UK law has fair justice decided on precedent case law by trained judges. Sharia is open to wide interpretations, swayed by money possibly to court members, or other participants.
The Archbishop does not speak of Christian love for all. He should go to a Muslim university, and talk to the Bishop of Rochester who does know Sharia.
- Dj, Bradford
I've gone from thinking of Williams as a silly messy-looking oddity with a very quaint archaic speech-pattern, to considering him an extremely dangerous fanatic looking to ruin the Anglican church and to undermine the UK community.
I have a high IQ and a doctorate, and I understand exactly what he said, what he was advocating.
He isn't fit to be Archbishop, he must be removed.
- Bettyanne Ford, Berks.
Williams is a disgrace. He's trying to backtrack now, to say he didn't really say what we all know he DID say. He is a coward as well as a destroyer of Christianity. May God forgive him - I do not.
Sack him if he won't resign.
- Jet, Bradford
What a totally ignorant man. This man is a disgrace to the Christian community. As the old queen used to say "off with his head" this fool should be kicked out of his position he couldn't lead ducks to water never mind the Anglican church.
- Jswallow, kelowna canada
It does seem that the transcripts are too difficult to understand, otherwise why would so many people condemn him in the general public and the press without seeming to have actually read what he said in full rather than a single word "inevitable" with no context around it being used to condemn him. Having actually read the transcript there are a lot of interesting and well thought out points of debate in it.
Also people seem to forget that the legal framework for civil cases being handled by religious courts already exists quite happily through the opt in mediation process.
- Nick Turner, London, UK
I wonder why CofE churches are closing and services are empty?
- R M, London, U K
"He stressed that the Church had a "burden and privilege" to speak up for all faith communities"
I don't care how clever he and other people think he is, if he can't see how wrong that is he should step down now. The only role that the church has is to cater to the religious beliefs and principles of the followers of the CofE. The very fact that he is even considering the feeling of another religion shows that he should not be in the job. Being the head of a church means that you should see other religions as the enemy as any other religion is basically saying that your beliefs and traditions are wrong and misguided. You cannot have different religions in one country.
- Simon Smithsonian, London, UK
Neville Chamberlain, Vidkun Quisling, Rowan Williams...
- Gregory Cox, Cheltenham, U.K.
I don't recall anyone voting for Gordon Brown. How come he's PM?
Williams is an inflammatory idiot.
There is no such thing as "Sharia Law" and we are doing a dis-service to people all over the world by referring to Sharia as such. Sharia means 'way of life' and it is the rules by which Muslim people live in their own country. Here in the UK we have a highly evolved justice system which does not relate in any sense to Sharia and which is known as British and European Law. Religion has destroyed enough lives over the centuries and its time to stop this insanity.
I suspect the Archbishop just wants religious organisations to rule countries and govern the Royal Family (as they did in the past) and doesn't even care if it's his religion or not. For the rest of us, we don't need to buy into any of this and we need to avoid the semantics being force-fed to us by the media.
- Real, London UK
I suppose its great to get praise from someone with absolutely no integrity and dedication themselves. How embarrassing it is to have such idiots with such high profiles - one in charge of the church and one in charge of the country. God bless you all.
- Dee, Chesapeake USA formerly W4
GORDON BROWN. How on earth can you have the face to comment on the subject of integrity after your disgraceful disregard for the British people over the European referendum? We can see through you Brown, you will not be in number 10 for much longer. Your sort of cowardice is so obvious. At least Blair lied and cheated with tongue in cheek.
- Bob Wynne, mold, north wales
"..too complex for laymen to understand."
Seems he is patronising with it as well.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Henry VIII has a lot to answer for!
- Jlo, London
There is no place for idiocy at the head of the Church. He should go away!
- Georgie, Islington, London
Rowan Williams' recent comments suggesting that elements of Sharia law should be incorporated into British law and, that this is somehow unavoidable, are further proof that this man is completely out of touch with mainstream public opinion. He would also appear to be completely at odds with the view of the majority of the C of E's (which his stewardship has seen descend into its most fractured state in its history) membership.
I do not believe that any amount of backtracking or apology will save him from inevitable downfall.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
"too complex for laymen to understand" - sounds more like a desperate attempt to say "you've got it all wrong!" Of course the Church is NEVER wrong.
- Marianne, SW France
He shouldn't be allowed to resign, he should be sacked!
- James, london
The purpose of laws is to seek justice. If a noble person like Dr Rowan could see there is justice in Shariah for the Muslims in Britain, then prevailing justice is the main objective. If Britain could implement this, this will credit Britain of what she always potrays 'the spirit of tolerance'.
- Suzalie, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
