Archbishop of Canterbury Apologizes for Speech Impact on Abuse Survivors

The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued an apology for causing “further distress” after Church of England abuse survivors criticized his farewell address to the House of Lords for trivializing serious safeguarding failures. Justin Welby stated that his remarks, delivered to the House of Lords on Thursday, had inflicted additional pain upon those harmed by the “heinous abuse” perpetrated by the prolific child abuser John Smyth. This development coincides with three lead bishops for safeguarding in the Church of England describing the speech as “utterly insensitive” in a letter sent to some abuse survivors. Mr. Welby resigned in November following the release of the damning Makin report into the abuse, which concluded that he “could and should” have reported Smyth to the police in 2013. In his speech, Mr. Welby informed the House of Lords that accountability was necessary, stating “a head had to roll,” subsequent to the publication of the review investigating the handling of the scandal. The speech prompted a strong negative reaction from abuse victims, who asserted that it demonstrated a lack of remorse for the suffering of survivors and that Mr. Welby’s inclusion of jokes created a “frivolous” tone. “The reality is that there comes a time if you are technically leading a particular institution or area of responsibility where the shame of what has gone wrong – whether one is personally responsible or not – must require a head to roll,” the archbishop said in the Lords on Thursday. He added, “And there is only, in this case, one head that rolls well enough.” Additionally, he referenced a 14th-century predecessor who had been beheaded, concluding with the remark: “I hope not literally.” On Thursday, Mark Stibbe, who had previously informed the BBC of being groomed and physically abused by Smyth during the 1970s, characterized the archbishop’s jest regarding “one head” rolling as “disturbing.” Mr. Stibbe further commented, “Smyth survivors want all those responsible to stand down.” A different victim of Smyth, identified by the pseudonym Graham Jones in the Makin report, asserted that Mr. Welby’s speech had adopted a tone that was “entirely wrong.” In a statement released on Friday, the archbishop expressed his desire to “apologise wholeheartedly” for the pain he had inflicted. The statement read: “I understand that my words – the things that I said, and those I omitted to say – have caused further distress for those who were traumatised, and continue to be harmed, by John Smyth’s heinous abuse, and by the far reaching effects of other perpetrators of abuse.” He continued: “It did not intend to overlook the experience of survivors, or to make light of the situation – and I am very sorry for having done so.” The statement further affirmed: “It remains the case that I take both personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period after 2013, and the harm that this has caused survivors. He concluded his statement by saying: “I continue to feel a profound sense of shame at the Church of England’s historic safeguarding failures.” Following Mr. Welby’s speech, Joanne Grenfell, Julie Conalty, and Robert Springett, who are the Church of England’s lead bishops for safeguarding, corresponded with certain abuse survivors, labeling the address “mistaken and wrong.” The letter stated: “Both in content and delivery, the speech was utterly insensitive, lacked any focus on victims and survivors of abuse, especially those affected by John Smyth, and made light of the events surrounding the Archbishop’s resignation.” It continued: “It was mistaken and wrong. We acknowledge and deeply regret that this has caused further harm to you in an already distressing situation.” The correspondence indicated that the church had “seriously failed” in fulfilling its safeguarding duties “over many years” and characterized Mr. Welby’s speech as “the antithesis of all that we are now trying to work towards in terms of culture change and redress with all of you.” Mr. Welby is scheduled to vacate his position on 6 January, with the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, assuming interim leadership until a permanent successor is appointed, a process anticipated to last approximately six months. His resignation comes after the release of the Makin report, which asserted that Smyth’s abuse had been concealed by the Church of England for decades. Smyth, a barrister and preacher, is thought to have abused over 100 boys and young men at Christian summer camps in England during the 1970s and 1980s, subsequently continuing his abuse in South Africa and Zimbabwe. His abusive activities are believed to have persisted until 2018, the year of his death in Cape Town at the age of 75. The independent review indicated that Church officials, including Mr. Welby, “could and should” have reported Smyth to law enforcement and authorities in South Africa in 2013. Mr. Welby stated that he was “told the police had been notified” in 2013 and “believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow.”