Let the word go forth from this time and place: the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, is a fool.

Not to mention a smarmy, clueless, cold-hearted elitist who really ought to know better.

This so-called “leader of the flock” of Anglicans worldwide, who sits in his ivory tower contemplating his navel while his Communion implodes and lurches ever closer to schism (if not disintegration) with each passing day, could have used a recent BBC radio interview to discuss intelligently the challenges facing the Anglican church worldwide, or used that venue to offer a hopeful, uplifting message about what it means to be an Anglican or what it means for humankind that God took it upon Himself to be made flesh and dwell among us – ya know, the Christmas story, right? But no, what does he do? He uses the occasion to trash the Christmas story and mock the historic Christmas traditions of the Church for everyone to see:

The Archbishop of Canterbury said yesterday that the Christmas story of the Three Wise Men was nothing but a ‘legend’.

Dr Rowan Williams has claimed there was little evidence that the Magi even existed and there was certainly nothing to prove there were three of them or that they were kings.

Dr Williams argued that the traditional Christmas story was nothing but a ‘legend’

He said the only reference to the wise men from the East was in Matthew’s gospel and the details were very vague.

Dr Williams said: “Matthew’s gospel says they are astrologers, wise men, priests from somewhere outside the Roman Empire, that’s all we’re really told. It works quite well as legend.”

The Archbishop went on to dispel other details of the Christmas story, adding that there were probably no asses or oxen in the stable.

The Archbishop also discounted the whole idea of Jesus being born on December 25th, and snow on the ground, and all that kind of stuff. All of which may be true and readily apparent to those of us who have studied the Gospels and the history and traditions by which Christianity found its practicing form way back when. But you don’t start loosly tossing around words like “legend” when you’re talking about the Gospels and cherished stories that are part of the faith traditions of the Christian religion – especially if you’re the freakin’ leader of a worldwide Church, for God’s sake. I mean, doesn’t this doofball have any sense of warmth, or joy, or sense of purpose and position? Does EVERYTHING that spews from his mouth have to be so cold and scholarly to make sure everyone knows how sophisticated and academic he is? I mean, if you want to compare the (for lack of a better term) “truths” about Christianity’s foundations with the traditions of the season, you can find a way to do so without being so cold and careless about it.

One can only wonder if left to his designs whether he would go on to question the Virgin Birth and the Baby Jesus. I have my own suspicions.

At a time when the historical traditions and teachings of Christianity are under fire from so many quarters in the Anglican Communion – particularly over the issue of homosexuality – to the point where the very continued existence of a unified, worldwide Communion seems less and less likely with each passing day, the last thing the Anglican Communion needs is to have its recognized leader give the enemies of the Christian faith (and there are many) even more ammunition. Dr. Williams continues to reveal himself as nothing more than a pompous blowhard with no positive message of hope for humankind or even his Church.

Don’t believe me? Contrast the message his interview puts across with, for example, Pope Benedict XVI’s recent Christmas message – tell me, which person would YOU rather have leading your faith?

Dr. Williams may very well be totally qualified as a distinguished scholar and academic for the position he holds, but he is an embarrassment to the Anglican Communion and as a worldwide leader of the Christian faith – just one more reason why Anglo-Catholics like myself wonder whether being an Anglican (or, in my case, an Episcopalian) means anything or is even worth it anymore.