People
Rowan Williams
Profile
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The Rt. Rev. Rowan Williams is a noted theologian, author, and speaker who has written on a wide range of topics on theology, spirituality, and culture. He currently serves as the chair of the Wales Peace Academy and vice president of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Born in Wales, Williams studied theology at Cambridge University and completed a doctorate at Oxford University on Russian religious thought. After ordination, he spent several years in academic and pastoral roles before becoming bishop of Monmouth in 1992, archbishop of Wales in 1999, and archbishop of Canterbury in 2002. As archbishop of Canterbury, Williams developed a number of initiatives focused on improving Christian-Muslim relations, including the annual Building Bridges Seminar. In 2012, Williams returned to university life as Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, retiring in 2020. Recent publications include Passions of the Soul (2024), Solidarity; The Work of Recognition (2026), and several collections of poetry. A new collection of poems, When the Clocks Go Back, is due in late 2026.