The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, stops work at 6pm so he can watch The Simpsons with his family. He is more afraid of what his wife Jane thinks than he is of the editor of The Daily Mail according to an interview in Oi Magazine which will be out on December 16. Update: The full interview is here.
A preview of the interview is found in the Times Online UK.
And he confessed that although at £60,000 a year he earns less than a headteacher, he enjoys his job – “at least the non-political side of things.” This is because he is passionate about the environment and likes meeting people.
Holly Mounter, 15, described the teenage fear of not being good enough and asked Dr Williams if he ever felt the same.
Dr Williams replied: “Yes often. It’s not an easy job. I have everyone judging me and many people thinking that the decisions I make are stupid. My teenage daughter thinks I’m every kind of idiot there is.
“There are two things that keep me going though and my family are one of them. Having support and love from those closest to me is hugely important. God is my other source of strength. He’s always there for me, even if he thinks I’m an idiot too.
Mylie Veitch, 18, asked him his views on a gay friend of hers who is considering adopting with his partner.
Dr Williams said: “This is a big one. I have questions as to whether same sex couples can provide the same stability as ‘normal parents’. I have no answers really, just questions.
“Many would argue that we need a balance of men and women to bring a child up. However, I have seen one fantastic example of same sex parenting first hand and I suppose stability is another key consideration.”
Asked about his support for gay clergy, he replied: “I have no problem with gay clergy who aren’t in relationships, although there are savage arguments about the issue you might have heard about. Our jobs mean we have to adhere to the Bible, gay clergy who don’t act upon their sexual preferences do, clergy in practicing homosexual relationships don’t. This major question doesn’t have a quick fix solution and I imagine will be debated for many years to come.”
Read about the interview here.