CANTERBURY, November 29, 2002 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Dr. Rowan Williams, who takes over as Archbishop of Canterbury in February, now says he will no longer “knowingly” ordain a practising homosexual as an Anglican priest. He will thus comply with longstanding Church of England policy, reaffirmed at the Lambeth conference in 1998—and with the wishes of evangelical and other Biblically-centred Anglicans, who have lobbied hard for him to make such a commitment. Williams told the Church Times, the official Anglican newspaper: “I think if I knew that an ordinand [person about to be ordained] was living with a partner at the moment, I would have to say the church has made its views clear on this, and you have a choice … I don’t think I would [ordain] at the moment.” He added, “I would like the church not to stop thinking about the question.” Concerning the furor his waffling on the issue has created, he said “There is a certain amount of blood on my face.” Williams also told the government that the church under his leadership would resist any liberalization of current laws on abortion and euthanasia.
For British coverage see: https://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,849408,00.html For related coverage see: NEW ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY CONFRONTS FREEMASONS WITHIN THE CHURCH https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/nov/02111907.html ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY ARGUES IN FAVOUR OF HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/nov/02112607.html