Updated: Simon Sarmiento has an excellent bunch of links up on this issue.
Rowan Williams says the Church must be a safe place for gay people, but even in this statement he does not publicly criticize those working to make it a dangerous one.
This is as close as he comes: I share the concerns expressed about situations where the Church is seen to be underwriting social or legal attitudes which threaten … proper liberties.” (emphasis mine.)
“Is seen to be.” That’s a peculiar choice of words. The issue isn’t how Peter Akinola is perceived. The issue is what he is doing: supporting a law that would legalize human rights violations against gay people and their supporters, and tolerating a smear campaign against the most prominent gay Christian in his country.
First in silence, now in speech Williams has demonstrated that he will go to great lengths to avoid crossing Akinola. This has been noticed both within the Communion and without. He can only hope that the damage to his credibility is reversible.
Do see the Mad Priest’s comment here.