LONDON — The archbishop of Canterbury on Monday defended himself against a firestorm of recent criticism, telling fellow Anglicans his statement last week that Britain would have to accept some limited form of Islamic law had been misunderstood.
Speaking to a gathering of elected representatives from the Church of England, Archbishop Rowan Williams said he took full responsibility "for any unclarity . . . and for any misleading choice of words that has helped cause distress or misunderstanding."
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Friday, February 15, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 64 words Type of Material: Correction
Anglican archbishop: An article in Tuesday's Section A about the archbishop of Canterbury's defense of his comment that Britain would have to accept some form of Islamic law said the biannual General Synod where he spoke included representatives of the world's 77 million Anglicans. The synod was a gathering of members of the Church of England, which is included in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
He defended what he said as an attempt to open debate on whether "certain additional choices could and should be made available under the law of the United Kingdom for resolving disputes and regulating transactions" involving Muslims, naming as an example legal provisions allowing for Islamic forms of financial transactions such as mortgages.
But he insisted that he was not calling for a two-tiered system of law. "We are not talking about parallel jurisdictions," he said.
Williams' arrival was greeted by sustained applause from the audience.
Islamic law, or Sharia, is based on the Koran and the teachings of the prophet Muhammad and practiced in some predominantly Muslim countries. It covers many elements of life, such as who may marry and divorce, how trade is to be conducted and how punishments should be meted out for crimes. Sharia has drawn criticism in the West for its tough punishments for adultery and apostasy and its treatment of women.
In a speech to lawyers and a radio interview last week, Williams said it was "unavoidable" that certain aspects of Islamic law would have to be accepted in Britain, which has a Muslim population of 1.8 million and growing. He said the principles of Sharia should be considered in limited areas, such as family law, and only in cases in which all parties agreed to submit -- and with the proviso that they could opt out at any time.
His comments met a flood of media coverage with calls for his resignation and blasts from critics as well as support from church leaders, politicians, commentators and churchgoers.
His critics included his predecessor, George Carey, who commented Sunday in the tabloid News of the World: "His conclusion that Britain will eventually have to concede some place in law for aspects of Sharia is a view I cannot share. There can be no exceptions to the laws of our land which have been so painfully honed by the struggle for democracy and human rights."
