The Right Reverend and the Right Honourable William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1st Baron Lang of Lamberth (31 October 1864 - 5 December 1945) was an English clergyman of the early twentieth century. Early in his priestly career he rose to prominence quickly, becoming Archbishop of York within eighteen years of his consecration--climbing the ranks with a speed that is unheard of in the modern era. As Archbishop of York, Lang became one of the Lords Spiritual and was seated in the House of Lords, where he spoke out in favor of or against a wide variety of issues much more adamantly than clergymen typically did. Lang took positions that were controversial, both theologically and politically, and this eroded the respect and admiration he had previously enjoyed.