Rowan Williams’ Wrong Reading of Romans

http://robgagnon.net/RowanWilliams'WrongReading.htm

[robgagnon.net] 19 Apr 2007--Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and titular head of the Anglican Communion, has been quoted by Reuters as saying that Paul’s “primary point” in mentioning homosexual acts in Romans was to warn Christians against the smug self-righteousness of condemning the acts of others (“Anglican head Williams says anti-gays misread Bible,” Apr. 17, 2007: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1767470620070417). So Christians apparently should not judge those who engage in homosexual acts, even though it is true that Paul regarded homosexual practice “as obviously immoral.” If Reuters has accurately reported Williams’ remarks to theology students in Toronto (always a big “if”), then Williams has seriously misread Romans. I say this with all due respect to the archbishop, who is a bright man and an able theologian (although not a biblical scholar).