The archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is to resign and return to academia as master of Magdalene college, Cambridge.
Williams, 61, will leave at the end of December in time to start his new role next January.
His time in office has been marked by a slowly growing schism in the worldwide Anglican church, which he has failed to heal. Williams has been attacked by conservatives for his liberal views on homosexuality and by liberals for failing to live up to these principles.
But he has been respected on all sides for his gifts as a preacher of great eloquence and flashes of clarity.
Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, tweeted: “Rowan Williams will be sorely missed as archbishop of Canterbury; did what he said he’d do – challenge the imagination of our country.”
Williams’s generally leftwing politics have led him to clash with the government, most notably when he guest-edited an issue of the New Statesman last year, which was taken by Conservative MPs as a declaration of hostilities.
The prime minister, David Cameron, said: “I would like to thank Rowan Williams for his dedicated service as archbishop of Canterbury. As a man of great learning and humility he guided the church through times of challenge and change. He sought to unite different communities and offer a profoundly humane sense of moral leadership that was respected by people of all faiths and none.”
The bookmakers’ favourite to succeed him is the Ugandan-born archbishop of York, John Sentamu, whose energy is widely admired, but who has upset some with a reputed forceful manner.
The other name frequently mentioned is the bishop of London, Richard Chartres, who is opposed to the ordination of women, but has been increasingly quiet. Both men are older than Williams.
None of the younger candidates has yet made their mark on the world outside the church, though Graham James, the bishop of Norwich, and Nick Baines, the bishop of Bradford, are two names most often mentioned.
Williams, who was confirmed in December 2002 as the 104th archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the 77-million-strong Anglican communion, told the Press Association that occupying the post had been an enormous privilege.
He described the Church of England as a “great treasure” that was still a place where many people sought inspiration and comfort in times of need. “I would like the successor that God would like,” he said.
“It is a job of immense demands and I would hope that my successor has the constitution of an ox and the skin of a rhinoceros, really.
“But he will, I think, have to look with positive, hopeful eyes on a church, which for all its problems is still, for so many people, a place to which they resort in times of need and crisis, a place to which they look for inspiration.
“I think the Church of England is a great treasure. I wish my successor well in the stewardship of it.”
In a statement issued by Lambeth Palace, Williams added: “It has been an immense privilege to serve as archbishop of Canterbury over the past decade, and moving on has not been an easy decision.
“During the time remaining there is much to do, and I ask your prayers and support in this period and beyond.”
He added that he was grateful for all the support he and his wife, Jane, had received.
“I am abidingly grateful to all those friends and colleagues who have so generously supported Jane and myself in these years, and all the many diverse parishes and communities in the Church of England and the wider Anglican communion that have brought vision, hope and excitement to my own ministry,” he said.
“I look forward, with that same support and inspiration, to continuing to serve the church’s mission and witness as best I can in the years ahead.”
The timing of his retirement has nothing to do with gay marriage. But his children have both left school, and he will have served all through the Queen’s diamond jubilee. By leaving now he makes time for his successor to prepare for the next Lambeth Conference, a worldwide gathering of Anglican bishops due in 2018. The last one was marked by a schism after the US Anglican church ordained an openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson.
Williams planned to heal this schism by getting all constituent churches of the Anglican communion to sign up to a treaty or covenant which would stop them from ordaining openly gay clergy without central consent. But for the covenant to mean anything, it would have to be approved by a majority of the dioceses of the Church of England. Seventeen have so far rejected it, and only 11 approved. It seems likely that five more will reject it in voting this weekend, which would kill the scheme entirely.
The archbishop of York, John Sentamu, said: “It is with great sadness that I received the news that the archbishop of Canterbury will be stepping down at the end of this year.
“Our partnership in the gospel over the past six years has been the most creative period of my ministry. It has been life-giving to have led missions together, gone on retreats and prayed together.
“In his company I have drunk deeply from the wells of God’s mercy and love and it has all been joyful. He is a real brother to me in Christ.
“The last decade has been a challenging time for the Church of England and the Anglican communion.
“Thankfully, Archbishop Rowan is a remarkable and gifted leader who has strengthened the bonds of affection. Despite his courageous, tireless and holy endeavour, he has been much maligned by people who should have known better. For my part he has been God’s apostle for our time.
“His stepping down to pursue something he dearly loves – teaching and writing – is received with gratitude, as this will continue to be a blessing to the Church.
“I am delighted that he is not going far away and will continue to offer service to the Church of England and the wider church in its witness to our society. May God’s blessing continue to be showered upon him.”
Williams will continue to carry out all the duties and responsibilities of the archbishop of Canterbury, both for the Church of England and the Anglican communion, until the end of the year, Lambeth Palace said.
The Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) would consider “in due course” the selection of a successor.
Williams’s return to academia will mark the end of more than 20 years as a bishop and archbishop. He was consecrated bishop of Monmouth in 1991 and elected archbishop of Wales in 1999.
His departure comes amid tensions within the Anglican communion over the issue of homosexuality.
The Church of England general synod also looks likely to give final approval in July to legislation introducing female bishops, with the threat of further walkouts by traditionalists.
Williams’s predecessor, Lord Carey, held the post of archbishop of Canterbury for 11 and a half years and retired at 66 in 2002.
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