LONDON - Rowan Williams became leader of the world's 70 million Anglicans on Monday as he was confirmed as the 104th archbishop of Canterbury in a special service at St. Paul's Cathedral.
The softly spoken intellectual, who has called on the church to debate the thorny issues of homosexuality and the ordination of women, replaces the Most Rev. George Carey as leader of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion worldwide.
Dressed in traditional black, white and purple, Williams pledged allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II, who as monarch is temporal head of the Church of England. He also declared his assent to the historic practices of the church, an undertaking required by all of its clergy.
"It's a very humbling thing to be included in this long succession of archbishops and a very humbling thing to be aware of the trust that has been placed in my hands," Williams, 52, said afterward.
"I pray for God's guidance as I seek to meet this new challenge — a challenge I face with a sense of inadequacy but also with hope, with joy and with enthusiasm."
The ancient ceremony was presided over by the Archbishop of York, David Hope. Also present were the eight senior bishops from the Canterbury province of the church, including the Bishop of London, the Right Rev. Richard Chartres, the Bishop of Winchester, the Right Rev. Michael Scott-Joynt and the Bishop of Rochester, the Right Rev. Michael Nazir-Ali.
The ceremony was the second stage in the process of appointing the successor to Carey, who stepped down as archbishop at the end of October after 11 1/2 years.
Last month, the College of Canons of Canterbury approved Williams at a service in Canterbury Cathedral, the ancient seat of the spiritual head of the Church of England. Monday's ceremony confirms his election to the wider Church of England.
But Williams will not begin his public ministry until Feb. 27, when he is enthroned as archbishop at Canterbury Cathedral.
Williams, his wife Jane, and their two young children will move to the archbishop's London residence, Lambeth Palace, later this month.
Appointed in July by Prime Minister Tony Blair, Williams has alarmed conservatives in the church by calling for an open debate about the church's position on homosexuality. He has also said it is time for the church to appoint its first women bishops.
As archbishop of Canterbury, Williams has said he would enforce a church resolution condemning homosexual relations as "incompatible with Scripture" and opposing the blessing of same-sex unions and sex outside of marriage.
But in an interview with the Daily Telegraph newspaper published in July, Williams said that he had ordained a priest he knew was living in a homosexual partnership. And in a British Broadcasting Corp. documentary broadcast Sunday, he said he could "see a case for acknowledging faithful same sex relationships."
"It seems to me rather sad, and rather revealing, that when it comes to sex we suddenly become much less intelligent about our reading of the Bible," he said.
"My theological conviction is that there is a good case for recognition of same-sex partnerships if they are stable and faithful. I would not, however, call it marriage," he was quoted as saying.