As the Church of England slowly fades away it seems that Rowan Williams is trying to hasten it on its way. Crisis what crisis? He seems to be ignoring the problems in his church and is instead taking on the role of guest editor of the New Statesman, using the opportunity to make an unwise and simplistic attack on the government. As Damian Thompson asks in this article, where was Williams when Blair and Labour lied to take us to war against Iraq?
Williams typifies the attitude of so many English leaders, they are so busy trying to take the middle ground, or usually the centre left, that they alienate the overwhelming majority of the population. The church liberalises and plays left-wing politics, the churches empty. So they liberalise even more, and the churches empty even more until whole swathes of the Church of England leave to join the Roman Catholic church. Similarly Cameron's Tories have ignored their traditional supporters, and they blew the last general election, they were desserted as the Anglican church is being desserted.
How does Williams respond? He attacks the government for attempting to do what is morally right and essential. The church runs out of cash because its congregations shrink and it closes down churches and makes redundancies. The government is doing similar but Williams attacks it. Proof that he should stick to matters spiritual. The problem is, he isn't very hot on the spiritual front either judging by the comments made by former Anglicans in comments to Damian Thompson's article above.
The English need leaders who will do what is needed, not just what their media advisers in the metropolitan elite claim that 'public opinion' demands. But at least we now have a more effective leader of the opposition than the Labour Party can find.
More on the Archbishop's attack from the Telegraph.
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