2005 news archive

November 2005

27 November 2005
Archbishop - Sangla Hills apology 'a hopeful sign'
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has said that an apology offered to the Christian Community in Pakistan over the Sangla Hills incident is a hopeful sign for the country in the days ahead.

24 November 2005
Archbishop's Visit to Pakistan
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has begun an eight-day visit to Pakistan with a church service in Rawalpindi.

17 November 2005
Statement from Lambeth Palace following publication of the Global South Primates' Letter
Lambeth Palace has issued the following statement following the publication of a letter from Primates of the Global South to the Archbishop of Canterbury:

16 November 2005
Archbishop to visit Pakistan at 'crucial time'

04 November 2005
Archbishop to visit European Institutions

03 November 2005
Archbishop - 'friendly but candid' meeting with Bishop Gene Robinson
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, held a meeting this morning with Bishop Gene Robinson of the diocese of New Hampshire of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America.

October 2005

17 October 2005
Appointments: Acting Public Affairs Secretary

17 October 2005
Appointment - Vicar-General of the Province of Canterbury

10 October 2005
Archbishop - 'earthquake tragedy'
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has sent a message to church leaders in Pakistan and India following the earthquake in the region. In his letter to Bishop Alexander Malik, the Moderator of the Church of Pakistan and Bishop James Teron, the Moderator of the Church of North India, Dr Williams speaks of his distress on hearing of the devastation and assures them of prayers as they tackle the work of rescue and recovery.

September 2005

06 September 2005
Archbishop - tribute to Public Affairs Secretary

06 September 2005
Archbishop - elderly deserve protection
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has given a sombre warning that a more permissive approach to euthanasia and assisted suicide in Britain could undermine fundamental commitments to the needs of the elderly.

02 September 2005
Archbishop - prayers for victims of Hurricane Katrina

August 2005

17 August 2005
Statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury on the death of Brother Roger of Taizé

July 2005

20 July 2005
Archbishop - Education crucial to Africa
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has urged the development of university education in Africa as crucial to development and in overcoming fear and mistrust between different communities.

18 July 2005
Archbishop's tribute to Burundi's Anglican Church
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams - who is on an official four-day visit to Burundi - has praised the work of the Anglican Church in trying to promote peace and reconciliation after years of violence and bloodshed.

14 July 2005
Archbishop's Tribute to London
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has paid tribute to London and the British press in the aftermath of last week's bomb attacks.

14 July 2005
Archbishop - 'respond with hope'
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, led the observation of the two minutes silence for the victims of the 7/7 London bomb attacks, whilst attending a degree ceremony at the University of Wales Aberystwyth, where he was made an honorary fellow.

14 July 2005
Archbishop to visit Burundi, 15-21 July 2005

10 July 2005
Faith leaders' statement following terrorist attacks in London
Senior religious leaders have joined the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at Lambeth Palace, to issue a joint statement following Thursday's terrorist attacks in London.

07 July 2005
Archbishop of Canterbury: Statement on London Terrorist Attacks
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has spoken of his horror and grief following the explosions in London this morning.

June 2005

29 June 2005
London Forum on G-8 - 'action on poverty needed now'
A group of UK and US church leaders has called for decisive action and firm commitment on poverty from the world's G8 leaders meeting this weekend.

29 June 2005
Faith leaders G8 appeal to Prime Minister
Senior religious leaders from three faiths - Christianity, Judaism and Islam - have come together to publicly urge the Prime Minister to press for radical commitments on behalf of the world's poorest people when he chairs the annual meeting of the world's richest nations in Scotland next month.

15 June 2005
Archbishop delivers major address on media
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is to challenge journalists and broadcasters to regain lost public confidence through a far-reaching re-assessment of the way the news media operate.

May 2005

19 May 2005
Sarajevo: Archbishop's praise for progress towards reconciliation
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has praised the progress made towards reconciliation amongst the religious communities in Sarajevo, ten years after the region's inter-ethnic conflict.

19 May 2005
'Building Bridges' conference concludes in Sarajevo
The fourth Building Bridges conference - which brings together Muslim and Christian scholars from around the world - has completed its deliberations in Sarajevo.

18 May 2005
Archbishop calls for Christian-Muslim co-operation on global poverty
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has said Christian and Muslim leaders should work together to forge a new vision of a prosperous society to challenge the orthodoxies of the global economy.

17 May 2005
Archbishop's new Chaplain and Ecumenical Officer

16 May 2005
Archbishop - tribute to Bishop Hugh Montefiore

12 May 2005
Archbishop's Christian-Muslim initiative continues in Sarajevo - further details
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will travel to Sarajevo this weekend to convene the fourth 'Building Bridges' seminar in Sarajevo. Whilst in the city he will also attend a reception at the residence of the British Ambassador and lead an Anglican Eucharist.

03 May 2005
Archbishop's Christian-Muslim initiative continues in Sarajevo
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is to convene the fourth 'Building Bridges' seminar in Sarajevo later this month.

April 2005

28 April 2005
Archbishop - welcome for Canada statement

26 April 2005
Archbishop condemns lack of trust in fight against poverty
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will warn today that a fundamental lack of trust is eroding efforts to overcome global poverty.

25 April 2005
Archbishop - brief meeting with Pope

22 April 2005
Archbishop of Canterbury will meet new Pope

20 April 2005
Archbishop to attend Papal Inauguration

19 April 2005
Archbishop - greetings and prayers for new Pope
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has offered his best wishes and prayers for Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger on his election as successor to Pope John Paul II.

11 April 2005
Archbishop - adults need to grow up
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will say today (Monday 11th April) that adults must face the demands of being grown up if they are to meet the needs of children. In a lecture to be given at an event organised by the Citizen Organising Foundation, Dr Williams will say, 'We can't shape the lives and minds of children without a sense of responsibility we have as adults.'

05 April 2005
Archbishop of Canterbury to attend Pope's funeral
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has accepted an official invitation to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome on Friday. He will be the first serving Archbishop of Canterbury to attend a Pope's funeral.

03 April 2005
Archbishop - Pope's last days a 'lived sermon'
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has paid a warm tribute to the life and ministry of Pope John Paul II, describing his last days as a 'lived sermon' for Eastertide about facing death with honesty and courage.

02 April 2005
Statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury on the announcement of the death of Pope John Paul II

March 2005

31 March 2005
Archbishop issues letter to Party Leaders
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has issued a pre-election open letter, urging party leaders to avoid political campaigns based on the exploitation of fear.

16 March 2005
Archbishop - welcome for 'constructive' Covenant statement
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has welcomed the Covenant statement issued yesterday by the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA), during their spring meeting in Camp Allen in Texas.

16 March 2005
Archbishop calls for fresh approach on new neighbourhoods
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has urged developers and planners not to condemn the next generation to "the curse of living nowhere in particular."

08 March 2005
Archbishop calls for action on environment to head off social crisis
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has warned that without a radical rethink of the relationship between environmental and economic challenges the world could face the spectre of "social collapse."

07 March 2005
Archbishop Rowan Williams' tribute to Lord Sheppard

February 2005

10 February 2005
Archbishop - statement on the marriage of HRH Prince of Wales and Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles

January 2005

27 January 2005
Statement on Holocaust Memorial Day
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has issued a statement to mark National Holocaust Day.

14 January 2005
Bishops back 'Make Poverty History' Campaign
Church of England bishops have backed the call to Make Poverty History in 2005.

01 January 2005
Statement issued in response to Sunday Telegraph story
The Sunday Telegraph of 2 January 2005 published an article by Dr Williams. The paper carried a news story about it with a headline which misrepresented the article's content. This statement was issued in reply the evening before publication.