And so, farewell Rowan — the only Archbishop of Canterbury ever to have suggested that Sharia Law might be a good thing for England. His flailing, his ability to be wrong-footed at every turn, his inconsistency, could not have been better summarised than by his response to the ‘can Christians wear crosses?’ controversy of the last few days. At first Rowan seemed to deride the wearing of the cross, insisting it was nothing more than a ‘decoration’ and took the part for some people of true faith. A remarkable thing to hear from an Archbishop of Canterbury, although, because it was Rowan, we sort of expected it. But belatedly — yesterday — he suggested that the wearing of the cross should be tolerated by those who are not Christians and that it does not give offence.
His main crime has been failing to protect the church with which he was entrusted; failed to protect the rights of those who worship against assaults from both rival religions and indeed the secular authoritarians. He is a nice man, to be sure — and clever and, as they say, godly. And obviously he is better by far than that gobby oaf Giles Fraser, to name but one. But he let the church down. Bring on Sentamu.
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