Archbishop of Canterbury announces resignation following Church abuse report

The Archbishop of Canterbury has declared his intention to relinquish his position after a critical report concerning a prolific child abuser linked to the Church of England. The investigation determined that Justin Welby, 68, “could and should” have informed police about John Smyth’s abuse of boys and young men in 2013. In an official statement, Mr. Welby stated that “it is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility” for his actions once he was initially informed of the abuse. He further added, “I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England.” Mr. Welby expressed, “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.” He concluded, “As I step down I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse.” A representative for Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated that he “respects the decision that has been taken and his thoughts remain first and foremost with all the victims”. The precise date of the archbishop’s departure from his office was not immediately apparent, but the procedure for identifying a successor is anticipated to require a minimum of six months. The previous week, an independent inquiry concluded that the Church’s lack of action constituted a “missed opportunity” to prosecute Smyth prior to his death in 2018. Within his statement announcing his resignation, Mr. Welby mentioned he was “told that police had been notified” at that juncture and that he “believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow.” He additionally conveyed his “profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures” within the Church in the period following the report’s release. He remarked, “For nearly 12 years I have struggled to introduce improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done.” The Archbishop of Canterbury serves as the spiritual leader of the Church of England and guides 85 million Anglicans across 165 nations globally. Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, acknowledged that the Church had achieved “real progress” in safeguarding under Mr. Welby’s tenure, yet he appended: “There is much further to go.” Joanne Grenfell, the Church’s principal safeguarding bishop, stated that the archbishop’s resignation “does not absolve any of us from bringing about the wholesale changes in culture and leadership that are essential.” Mark Stibbe, a former vicar and survivor of Smyth’s abuse, commented that Mr. Welby had “done the right thing” by resigning. He informed Channel 4 News, “What I think the survivor group would like is more resignations because that means more accountability.” The archbishop had been experiencing increasing calls for his resignation in the period following the report’s release. A member of the Church’s legislative body, the General Synod, who initiated a petition advocating for Mr. Welby’s resignation, remarked: “I think it’s sad that it’s taken so long for meaningful action to take place.” The Rev Dr Ian Paul further expressed his hope that Mr. Welby’s choice would represent the initial move towards “cultural change in [the Church’s] senior leadership.” Clare MacLaren, Canon Provost of Sunderland Minster, informed the BBC that Mr. Welby’s resignation was “not before time.” She commented, “It’s something that’s been brewing for the last 24 hours at least.” She added, “It would have been good if he’d done it immediately.” The independent investigation into the Church’s management of John Smyth’s abuse, released last week, concluded that as of July 2013, “the Church of England knew, at the highest level, about the abuse that took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s,” explicitly identifying Mr. Welby. It determined that “several opportunities were missed” to officially report the abuse to law enforcement. A survivor of Smyth’s abuse conveyed to the BBC that the archbishop and the Church had, in essence, participated in a “cover-up.” In his declaration, the archbishop stated that the report had brought to light a “conspiracy of silence” concerning the abuse. Smyth held the position of a notable barrister and also served as a lay preacher – an unordained member of the congregation who delivers sermons – who organized summer camps for young Christians. The report alleged that he assaulted as many as 30 boys he encountered at the summer camps throughout the 1970s and 1980s, employing a “clearly sexually motivated, sadistic regime” of physical abuse. He specifically targeted boys participating in the camps and in sessions at prominent public schools, such as Winchester College, prior to bringing them to his residence and physically assaulting them with a garden cane in his shed. Smyth subsequently moved in the 1980s to Zimbabwe, and later to South Africa, where he is accused of having abused an additional 85 to 100 “young male children aged 13 to 17.” Smyth is thought to have persisted with his abusive conduct in South Africa until his death in Cape Town in 2018, at the age of 75. Mr. Welby received his education at Eton and the University of Cambridge. He dedicated 11 years to the oil industry before undergoing training to become a priest. He was ordained in 1992, subsequently serving as a vicar in Warwickshire, a Canon of Coventry Cathedral, the Dean of Liverpool, and the Bishop of Durham, prior to his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013. Mr. Welby is expected to be recalled as a politically engaged archbishop. He often addressed the House of Lords, criticized the payday lender Wonga, openly supported the Remain campaign during the 2016 Brexit referendum, and strongly denounced the Conservative government’s immigration and welfare policies. He endeavored to steer the Church away from concentrating on its internal discussions. However, he departs from a national church that is diminished in size and as fragmented as it has ever been. Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, informed the BBC that the consecration of women as bishops and his efforts in racial justice constituted significant aspects of Mr. Welby’s legacy. BBC Action Line: Individuals impacted by the matters discussed in this report can find information on available support here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Details regarding our approach to external linking are available for review.