An online video of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s “Islam in English Law” lecture has appeared, and an annotated transcript.

Online Video of Lecture

BBC Parliament has made a video of the lecture available.

Annotated Transcript of Archbishop Rowan’s Lecture

I had been planning to post an annotated transcript of Archbishop Rowan’s lecture, but I’m pleased to see that Justin Lewis-Anthony has already published one on his 3 Minute Theologian Blog, under the title “The Archbishop and those who will not hear“. That has saved me about 3 or 4 hours:

Riazat Butt, the religious affairs correspondent of The Guardian leapt in:

I’ve read the speech and re-read it. I don’t understand a word of it and unfortunately for us hacks he doesn’t replicate his BBC words in the bloody text. If anyone can tell me what he’s saying I’ll buy them a beer…

…in hope of getting a beer from Riazat Butt (though not expecting it, as the news cycle will have spun on), here is my paragraph by paragraph commentary on what the Archbishop said. (By the way, I’m not doing this for the purpose of satirising the Archbishop. I don’t think he needs translating into English. The only reason I’m doing this is to show that a moderately bright middle-aged man, with no expertise in jurisprudence, can get the gist of what an expert philosopher and theologian is saying, if prepared to put in a little bit of effort).

It’s a useful commentary, even if you don’t agree with it. Also a good comments thread.

Wrapping Up

I’m doing the Britblog Roundup today.

I have a fair selection - obviously AB Rowan is going to be a very big
element - but I’d welcome a few more non-political posts (travel,
bicycles, cooking, hamsters, dry stone walling ?).

Anything that gets to me before 4pm will go in, unless illegal.

Tags: archbishop rowan williams, sharia and british law, community cohesion, religion[tags]archbishop rowan williams, sharia and british law, community cohesion, religion[/tags]