Sebastian Williams

His Grace The Most Honourable and Most Reverend Cardinal Dr. Sebastian Williams
Lord Archbishop of Sulthey, Primate of Erbonia, Margrave of Sulthey, Cardinal Rector of Allhallows Grenham
Archbishopric
Rank	Primate and Cardinal Archbishop
Church	Church of Nortend
Province	Sulthey
See	Sulthey
Elected	March 9th, 2001
Enthroned	August 30th, 2001
Predecessor	John Culsen
Ministry
Livings	All Hallows’, Grenham
Residences	Abbotscourt, Sulthey Grenham Palace, Lendert
Previous	Cardinal Rector of St Endrith (1995–2001) Lord Bishop of Polton (1992–2001) Bishop of Laveshot (1988–1992) Archdeacon of Huntspot (1982–1988) Rector of Racham Fuller (1973-1988)
Holy Orders Deaconhood Date June 5th, 1971 Place Cholstave College Chapel Priesthood Date December 22nd, 1973 Place Chepingstow Minster Ordained by Archbishop Bernard Alseer Bishophood Date August 27th, 1988 Place Polton Cathedral Main consecrator Archbishop Bernard Alseer Co-consecrators Bishop Andrew Swaft; Bishop Henry Lovegrand-Otter Cardinalhood Date October 3rd, 1995 Appointed by King Alexander II
Personal details
Birth name	John Martin Williams
Born	(1947-01-20) 20 January 1947
Nationality	Erbonian
Alma mater	University of Aldesey
Signature	Sebastianos Sulatien
Part of a series on the Church of Nortend
Liturgy	Nortish Rite
Theology	Akeepian Frympellite
Structure Places Sulthey Cathedral Abbey Lendert Cathedral Priory Chepingstow Cathedral Minster Polton Cathedral Minster Allord Abbey University of Aldesey Nortish religious houses Churchmen Archbishop of Sulthey Archbishop of Limmes Archbishop of Rhise
Art and Music	Church music Illuminated manuscripts Architecture

Sebastian John Martin Williams (born Sebastian John Williams January 20, 1947) is the Xth Lord Archbishop of Sulthey and the most senior bishop of the Church of Nortend. Williams was enthroned as Archbishop on August 30, 2001, and incardinated to All Hallows’, Grenham, Lendert-with-Cadell on the next day, August 31.

Early life and education

Williams was born in Cudstow, Southannering, first and only child of Christopher Williams, Rector of St James's, Cudstow. He was baptised Sebastian John Williams on January 27th, 1947, on the festival of St. Julian. He was sent to Norsten Preparatory School at the age of 7, and then took a scholarship to Allord College at the age of 13. He was confirmed by the Lord Abbot of Allord, taking the confirmation name of Martin.

Williams matriculated at Cholestave College as an Old Dominostrian at the University of Aldesey where he read for his Bachelor of Arts. He was ordained as a deacon in 1969 and upon receiving his licentia docendi Williams began reading for his Bachelor of Divinity, intending to go into the priesthood. He incepted as Master of Arts in 1971 and graduated as Bachelor of Divinity later that year.

Ministry

Williams was ordained a priest upon graduating with a Bachelor of Divinity in 1972 by the then Lord Archbishop of Sulthey, Cardinal Bernard Alseer, and was presented by a school friend, Sir Andrew Wegg, to the wealthy benefice of St. Saviour’s, Racham Fuller in Durmenshire, worth £630 per annum, becoming Rector thereof in 1973. Williams was appointed Archdeacon and Dean Forane for the Hundred of Huntspot in 1982, appointing a Vicar to undertake divine service at Racham Fuller with the chauntry priest for the Wegg family.

Williams’s duties as Archdeacon were comparatively light, and he busied himself in academic pursuits, eventually receiving his Doctorate of Divinity from the University of Aldesey in 1986. In 1988, he was elected, consecrated and installed as the Bishop of Laveshot, a bishopric coadjutor in the Diocese of Polton. Upon the death of Bishop Fullengar, he succeeded as Lord Bishop of Polton from 1992. He was created a cardinal in 1995, being incardinated to St Endrith in Lendert-with-Cadell as a prebend of St Giles’ Chapel.

In 2001, after the death of Cardinal John Culsen, Williams was elected as Lord Archbishop of Sulthey. He was enthroned at Sulthey Cathedral on August 30th, 2001, and incardinated to All Hallows’, Grenham.

Churchmanship

Williams has generally followed an orthodox Akeepian theology, emphasising the traditional view of the Church as a Reformed yet Catholic church. He is known for his aversion to certain devotional practices supported by the more Roman wings of the Church, especially overly Marian devotions such as rosaries and the Renaissance-era „bidding” clause of Ave Maria („Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”).

He is considered staunchly royalist and nationalist, and has spoken strongly in favour of the Church of Nortend as an Erastian state church responsible for enforcing religious morality. He has opposed uncontrolled development, and supported the Steady State Policy as necessary for the good and welfare of Nortchmen. He provoked some tensions in 2008 when he condoned the hanging of convicted serial rapist Gerard Blaker, despite the popular opinion that only treason, forstal, desecration (of a host) and murder truly justify capital punishment.

Williams has consistently attacked homosexuality and same-sex marriages which are both illegl in Great Nortend. He said in 2017 that they pose a threat to the moral compass of the world, whilst simultaneously affirming platonic same-sex relationships as being „worthy” and „valuable”, drawing a direct analogy with examples of Biblical non-romantic love. As Archbishop of Sulthey, he formed the Board of Clerical Discipline in 2005, to investigate rumours of homosexuality and breaking of oaths of celibacy amongst Church of Nortend clergymen. It was wound up in 2013, having failed to undercover any cases of homosexuality, and only several minor cases of unchastity.

He also, somewhat paradoxically, supported greater religious tolerance in Great Nortend, and tentatively supported the passage of the Prohibitions Act Amendment Act, 16 Alex. II in 2019 which reduced the restrictions placed on the practice of Mohammedanism. Williams justified this by arguing that it was better for Moslem worship to be conducted in public, where the Government and Church could oversee it, rather than hidden away in hard-to-police private dwellings and underground gatherings. Furthermore, he was conscious of the problem of honest unbelief, believing that it was possible that those who with an open mind fail to be convinced of the truth of the Gospel might nonetheless attain salvation.

Styles

• Mr. Sebastian John Martin Williams (1947–1966)
• The Learned Mr. Sebastian John Martin Williams (1966–1969)
• The Reverend Deacon Mr. Sebastian John Martin Williams(1969–1981)
• The Very Reverend Mr. Sebastian John Martin Williams, Archdeacon and Dean of Huntspot (1982–1986)
• The Very Reverend Dr. Sebastian John Martin Williams, Archdeacon and Dean of Huntspot (1986–1988)
• The Honourable and Right Reverend Dr. Sebastian John Martin Williams, Bishop of Laveshot (1988–1992)
• His Lordship The Right Honourable and Right Reverend Dr. Sebastian John Martin Williams, Lord Bishop of Polton (1992–1995)
• His Lordship The Most Honourable and Right Reverend Cardinal Dr. Sebastian John Martin Williams, Lord Bishop of Polton and Cardinal Rector of St Endrith (1995–2001)
• His Grace The Most Honourable and Most Reverend Cardinal Doctor Sebastian John Martin Williams, Lord Archbishop of Sulthey, Primate of Erbonia, Count Palatine of Sulthey and Cardinal Rector of All Hallows’, Grenham (2001–present)

Williams's full formal style is :—

His Grace The Right High Right Mighty Right Noble and Most Honourable Lord and Most Reverend Father in God SEBASTIAN John Martin Williams by Divine Providence Archbishop of Sulthey Primate of Erbonia Count Palatine of Sulthey and Cardinal Rector of the Church of All Hallows Grenham.