Even on simple things like marriage we cannot allow Sharia as muslims weddings can be conducted without the bride and groom ever seeing each other and without even being in the same room.

How can the law of the land recognise this?

Kris, London,

I can understand why some people are trying to defend the archbishop but I think they are missing the point. The issues Dr Williams raised may well have some merit and be worthy of debate but what he has done is analogous to the leader of a left wing trade union standing up and saying the Nazis did some really good things for Germany and we should consider adopting some of the ideas and practices of the Third Reich. I don't imagine that person would remain leader of the union for long irrespective of how true or intellectually interesting the concepts may be. The best you can say for Rowan Williams is that he has been breathtakingly naive and totally lacking in media savvy - not qualities you want in the leader of your church.

Mel, London,

I'm sorry, but if the great and "highly erudite" Archbishop cannot communicate his thoughts clearly so that they are not misinterpreted, I wonder for what reason does he attempt to communicate publicly at all? Misunderstandings are how wars get started, and to have at the helm of such a historically significant institution an individual whose utterances can be easily misunderstood would seem to be quite dangerous at best and most certainly not beneficial to the CoE.

In a complex world in which disparate societies are linked instantaneously through highly sophisticated communication channels, individual communication needs much less emphasis upon nuance and much much more upon clarity. It is important to know immediately what an individual means especially when nuance and the structure of "complex thoughts" may be lost in translation. In these circumstances, clarity is imperative.

If the archbishop cannot communicate his thoughts clearly, then just how "erudite" is he really?

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

I must add my wieght to Barney Jones' comment. I was initially startled when I heard the headlines but swiftly realised what a fertile ground for debate it could be, and that I need to research and think it all through. Actually I felt an idiot for being so unthinkingly against sharia law, in a 'never the twain shall meet' kind of way. But the (self-seeking) politicians and journalists are doing untold damage.

pim, Tunbridge Wells,

The Bish had a Rivers of Blood moment: he didn't say what everyone else heard. But he should go and we should have an ABofC who is not a clever clogs, just a simple, faithful Anglican.

John Ledbury, Kings Lynn, England

I take issue with Dr Williams' attempt to bring theology into the law at all. The law does not and should not rely on religion for its legitimacy. There's a hint in what Dr Williams is saying that current British law should be seen as underpinning Christian beliefs rather than as granting rights to all individuals irrespective of their beliefs. If there's any truth in that, let's make sure we secularise the law completely as soon as possible.

Noel, Reigate, UK

The media cannot be blamed for the controversy surrounding the Archbishop's lecture - the reaction of the public was swift and strong and could not be ignored. The thousand upon thousands of emails/text messages/letters on the subject bear testament to the concern of the British public at the suggestion of tinkering with the legal system to accommodate a minority faith. In future, if he stays in post, Dr Williams should concern himself with matters of his own faith and that of his Anglican flock, and not interfere in politics.

Old-Tyke, England,

I seem to recall a phrase about a "meddlesome priest".

Rick Elliott, Bosworth, England

Since the signing of the Magna Carter, English citizens have campaigned and suffered tirelessly to achieve a legal framework that places ALL citizens in the same position without discrimination based on race, gender, wealth and creed. Sharia law, as already pointed out by the European Convention on Human Rights is incompatible with the liberal and equitable framework that has been achieved in the last 1000 years in the UK and most of Western Europe.

Encouraging Sharia aspects is a massive step in the wrong direction. No serious Muslim scholar has ever been able to show that Sharia treats women the same as men - it self evidently does not. By therefore accepting Sharia law, even for minor civil matters, in a single stroke, he is sanctioning discrimination against women within Muslim communities. Regardless of what he might say - that is the affect of his pronouncement. At that precise point he has forfeited all moral authority to lead his own Church and inspire British Citizens.

Tom Porter, Singapore, Singapore

'In his efforts to secure greater social cohesion, Dr Williams may have done the opposite.'

It is not the Archbishop who has done so. It is the politicians and journalists who simply did not stop to consider the complexity of his arguments.

We must stop essentialising the ideas of an extremely valuable lecture into punchy headlines. I only hope that this media furore makes more people read the full text of the lecture so that they can think for themselves.

Will someone from this newspaper not take more of a stand and defend Rowan Williams?

Barney Jones, Tokyo, Japan

The response to Dr Williams' comments has been nothing short of diabolical. It's unfortunate that we live in a society where nuance is wilfully ignored, where questions are disallowed, where uncertainty is a sign of weakness, where calm reason and open debate are bludgeoned to death by the sheer volume of intellectually bankrupt outrage, stoked as it always is by the usual sources.

Even government ministers who surely grasped Dr Williams' point had to affect outrage to placate the rantings of the mob. Pathetic.

This secular atheist feels desperately sorry for Dr Williams right now. He is a better man - and a considerably more thoughtful one - than just about anyone currently baying for his blood. Disagree with him, by all means. But he most certainly does not deserve this treatment.

Steve, Cardiff, UK

A good article. The general reaction thus far is a sad reflection of the dumbed down nature of modern British society.

Maude Heath, Chippenham, UK