Where does this leave us as a Communion?  Because we have no single central executive authority, the answer to this is not a simple one.  However, it is important to try and state what common ground there is before we attempt to move forward; and it is historically an aspect of the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury to ‘articulate the mind of the Communion’ in moments of tension and controversy, as the Windsor Report puts it (para. 109).  I do so out of the profound conviction that the existence of our Communion is truly a gift of God to the wholeness of Christ’s Church and that all of us will be seriously wounded and diminished if our Communion fractures any further; but also out of the no less profound conviction that our identity as Anglicans is not something without boundaries.  What I am writing here is an attempt to set out where some of those boundaries lie and why they matter for our witness to the world as well as for our own integrity and mutual respect.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams gave a public lecture on 6th December 2007 in Singapore, speaking on the topic “Religious Diversity & Social Unity.” The lecture was jointly hosted by Diocese of Singapore and MUIS (The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore). The Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, chaired the lecture. Many diplomats, MPs, community and religious leaders were present amongst the 800 participants at Ritz-Carlton.

There was a lively Q & A session after that.
Lecture: audio & text
Q&A: audio & text

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams gave a public lecture on 6th December 2007 in Singapore, speaking on the topic “Religious Diversity & Social Unity.” The lecture was jointly hosted by Diocese of Singapore and MUIS (The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore). The Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, chaired the lecture. Many diplomats, MPs, community and religious leaders were present amongst the 800 participants at Ritz-Carlton.

During a 40-minute address, he made the point that having strong religious convictions does not mean the end of social unity. In fact, the more conviction that people have in their religion - regardless of their faith - the less they can justify violence. The spiritual leader of the Anglican Church also defended the role that religion can play in public life.

Lecture: audio
Q&A: audio & text

After the Archbishop of Canterbury’s public lecture ‘Public Religion and the Common Good’ at St Andrew’s Cathedral (Singapore, 12th May), there was a Q & A Session. The transcript is posted here for your reading.  

During the Archbishop Rowan Williams’ recent visit to Singapore, he shared his thoughts in an interview with Lucilla Teoh for the Diocese of Singapore’s Diocesan Digest. 

Archbishop Rowan Williams gave this public lecture in Singapore at the St Andrew’s Cathedral on 12th May 2007.

(After the lecture, there was a Q & A Session. The transcript is posted here.)

...the Church’s public use of the Bible represents the Church as defined in some important way by listening: the community when it comes together doesn’t only break bread and reflect together and intercede, it silences itself to hear something. It represents itself in that moment as a community existing in response to a word of summons or invitation, to an act of communication that requires to be heard and answered.

China is emerging as a senior partner in the fellowship of nations; a country whose economy is changing so fast and whose profile in the world has become so recognisable and distinctive that we can’t imagine a global future without the Chinese presence. 

An insightful interview where Rowan Williams expresses his currrent thoughts on Communion issues. 

Editorial: I suggest that readers read this first on their own instead of forming impressions through other reviewers. Don’t just glance through and better still, print it out using the print version option. Worth a careful read.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has set out his thinking on the future of the Anglican Communion in the wake of the deliberations in the United States on the Windsor Report and the Anglican Communion at the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA). 

Archbishop Rowan’s address at the Islamic University, Islamabad can be helpful to those seeking to explain the meaning of the Christian faith to a similar audience

After the talk, various interesting questions were asked. We have here the Q & A session transcribed fully. ++Rowans shared from his heart.