Bishop of Dover Shares Emotional Response to Welby’s Resignation

The Bishop of Dover has stated that she wept following the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who stepped down under pressure due to his failure to report the prolific child abuser John Smyth. The Right Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin commented: “I know that he is very sad and I know that he is very sad for those especially who were abused by the church.” An independent review, released last week, concluded that Justin Welby and other church officers should have formally reported Smyth in 2013. Mr Welby, whose resignation occurred on Tuesday, stated: “I hope this decision makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change and our profound commitment to creating a safer church.” Smyth was accused of assaulting dozens of boys, including those he encountered at Christian camps, in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s. The Makin Review further indicated that the barrister and senior member of a Christian charity subsequently moved to Zimbabwe and later South Africa, where he abused as many as 100 boys aged 13 to 17. By 2013, the Church of England, including Mr Welby who assumed the Church’s highest position that year, possessed knowledge “at the highest level” regarding Smyth’s abuse. The independent report stated that had he and other Church officers reported this to police in the UK and authorities in South Africa at that time, “John Smyth could have [been] brought to justice at a much earlier point”. Mr Welby had previously resisted demands to resign concerning his handling of the case since 2013.