Archbishop

Rowan Williams - The Archbishop of Canterbury

There has been an Archbishop at Canterbury Cathedral since the 6th Century when Augustine arrived on the coast of Kent as a missionary. Archbishop Rowan Williams is the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.

Archbishop Rowan Williams

Rowan Douglas Williams was born in Swansea on 14 June 1950.

He was educated at Dynevor Secondary School, then at Christ's College Cambridge, where he read Theology. After research in Oxford (on Christianity in Russia), he spent two years as a lecturer at Mirfield Theological College near Leeds. From 1977, he spent nine years in academic and parochial work in Cambridge.

From 1986-1992, Dr Williams was Professor of Theology at Oxford. He was enthroned as Bishop of Monmouth in 1992 and Archbishop of Wales in 2000. Dr Williams has written a number of books on the history of theology and spirituality and published collections of articles and sermons as well as two books of poetry. He has been involved in various commissions on theology and theological education. He was a member of the Church Schools Review Group led by Lord Dearing and chaired the group that produced the report 'Wales: a Moral Society?'

Dr Williams is a Fellow of the British Academy. His interests include music, fiction and languages. Since 1981, Dr Williams has been married to Jane Paul, a lecturer in theology, whom he met while living and working in Cambridge. They have a son and a daughter.