Archbishop Justin Welby to Skip Christmas Services Before January Departure

Justin Welby, the departing Archbishop of Canterbury, will not participate in any public Christmas services this year, even though he is scheduled to remain in his position until January. Lambeth Palace stated that Mr. Welby will instead observe the holiday season in private with his family, following his November announcement of his intention to step down due to the Church’s management of one of its most severe abuse scandals. This week, the Church verified that the archbishop’s former chaplain had “stepped back” from her current episcopal duties subsequent to the release of a critical report concerning the scandal. Mr. Welby plans to conclude all official responsibilities as archbishop by 6 January. The BBC had previously confirmed that he would not present the customary televised New Year’s Day message. The Christmas Day sermon delivered by the Archbishop from Canterbury Cathedral has long been a tradition within the Church of England. Given Mr. Welby’s absence from this service, the Christmas sermon by Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell is anticipated to become the central focus for the Church. As the second-highest-ranking bishop in the Church of England, Mr. Cottrell is expected to assume the Archbishop of Canterbury’s official duties temporarily after 6 January. While a timeline for selecting Mr. Welby’s successor has not been disclosed, the procedure is projected to last approximately six months. Mr. Cottrell seemingly has excluded himself as a potential candidate. Mr. Welby declared his resignation in November, subsequent to the independent Makin report concluding that he “could and should” have reported child abuser John Smyth to law enforcement in 2013. Smyth is considered one of the most prolific abusers linked to the Church, having assaulted over 100 boys and young men at Christian summer camps in England during the 1970s and 1980s, and subsequently in southern Africa. It is believed he persisted with his abuse in South Africa until his death in Cape Town in 2018, at the age of 75. The report indicated that “several opportunities were missed” to formally notify the police about the abuse, and it specifically identified Mr. Welby as an individual aware of Smyth’s conduct. In his statement announcing his resignation, the archbishop declared that “it is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility” for his reaction after he was initially informed of the abuse. Mr. Welby stated he was “told that police had been notified” in 2013 and that he “believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow.” He further added, “I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England.” He concluded, “As I step down I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse.” This week, the Diocese of London announced that Rev Jo Bailey Wells, who previously served as Mr. Welby’s personal chaplain, withdrew from her ministry after the Makin report was published. Following the archbishop’s resignation, numerous Anglican leaders emphasized the necessity of enhancing safeguarding protocols within the Church. While some survivors of Smyth’s abuse endorsed Mr. Welby’s choice, others asserted that additional individuals implicated in what the archbishop himself termed a “conspiracy of silence” concerning Smyth ought to also resign. An earlier announcement this week verified that Rev Jo Bailey Wells, the archbishop’s former personal chaplain, had “stepped back from her ministry” subsequent to the independent review. A spokesperson for the Diocese of London indicated that a safeguarding risk assessment would be conducted. On Sunday, Helen-Ann Hartley, the Bishop of Newcastle, informed the BBC that she had been “frozen out” by her Church of England colleagues after becoming the highest-ranking member of the clergy to publicly advocate for Mr. Welby’s resignation. The Church of England stated: “The national safeguarding team is considering whether there was any new information in the Makin report that needs to be assessed for any ongoing safeguarding risk and any evidence to support any disciplinary or capability process against individuals named in the report who are still under the authority or oversight of the [Church].” BBC Action Line: If you have been affected by issues in this story, find out what support is available here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.