A kind man stands down

So goodbye, Rowan. The Archbishop of Canterbury has announced that he will stand down at the end of the year (leaving Britain bereft of bearded authority figures). Inevitably, people will say he failed. The Anglican Communion is at war with itself over gays and women bishops and the place of religion in a secular multi-cultural society, and he has been unable to broker any kind of peace.
 
But it is important to acknowledge that — even if, for all his intelligence, he often struggled to express himself clearly — Dr Williams is widely respected as a good and graceful man. I interviewed him a few years ago, and he was kind and lacking in self-importance.

He may have failed, but, when it comes to the Anglican Communion in the modern world, perhaps nobody could have succeeded — and that his kindness under pressure has shielded Lambeth Palace from many conflicts.