THE ARCHBISHOP
Wednesday, December 3, BBC One Wales, 10.45pm

As head of the Anglican Church in Wales, Dr Barry Morgan has had a turbulent and fascinating year. In BBC Wales documentary The Archbishop (Wednesday, December 3, BBC One Wales) David Williams follows The Archbishop of Wales through a year which has seen widespread division in the church.

2008 has been dubbed ‘The Year of the Bishop’ thanks to heated debate around the consecration of gay bishops and the ordination of women bishops as well as a number of high profile media stories about Welsh bishops.

The personal profile of Dr Morgan examines his navigation of the arguments currently raging in the Anglican community.

“The huge debate around sexuality has swirled around through the year and it forms the backdrop to this film,” explains David Williams.

This year has also seen the argument over whether or not women priests should be ordained as bishops and Dr Barry Morgan argues that it’s the next logical step for the Church. The cameras roll as he loses the argument at a meeting of the Church’s governing body this year.

“But I’m sure he’ll be back to argue it again,” says David Williams, who also explores his personal agnostic views with the Archbishop in the programme. “I think it will be the issue that defines him. It generates a huge amount of opposition. We play golf together in the documentary and he tells me about the kind of animosity that the argument generates - the kind of personal letters he gets, which are quite hurtful.”

Dr Morgan also speaks publicly for the first time about the resignation last April of the Bishop of St Davids, Rt Reverend Carl Cooper, following media speculation over his private life.

“It’s been one of the most interesting years in recent times and we happened to be there following it,” says David Williams.

The Archbishop is a Boomerang production for BBC Wales.

Kate Stokes Davies 029 2032 2131 / kate.stokes-davies@bbc.co.uk