Archbishop of Canterbury to continue in role until year-end

The Archbishop of Canterbury will continue in his position until the start of the new year, having tendered his resignation due to his omission in reporting the serial child abuser John Smyth. Lambeth Palace, Archbishop Justin Welby’s London residence, issued a statement on Wednesday indicating that he is scheduled to conclude his official responsibilities by January 6. Mr. Welby declared last Tuesday his intention to relinquish the role, subsequent to a review determining that he “could and should” have informed law enforcement about a prolific child abuser. The statement noted that he is anticipated to engage in “very little public-facing activity” prior to his departure from the position, further stating that he “plans to honour a small number of remaining commitments”. Mr. Welby’s formal responsibilities as the Archbishop of Canterbury, who holds the highest episcopal rank within the Church of England, will be transferred to the Archbishop of York (the second highest-ranking bishop) during the Feast of Epiphany on January 6. This date commemorates the visit of the Magi (also referred to as the three kings or three wise men) to Jesus and is the day immediately following the 12 days of Christmas. Lambeth Palace stated that additional information regarding this arrangement would be furnished “in due course”. It also added, “The date on which Archbishop Justin formally ceases to hold office will be set in agreement with the Privy Council.” The 68-year-old encountered increasing calls for his resignation subsequent to the release of a critical independent report detailing child abuser John Smyth’s mistreatment of boys and young men. In a statement issued last week, Mr. Welby affirmed that “it is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility” for his actions after initially being informed of the abuse. Mr. Welby stated he had been “told that police had been notified” at that juncture and that he “believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow”. He further expressed his belief “that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England”. Smyth, who was a barrister and a high-ranking figure in a Christian charity, faced accusations of assaulting numerous boys, encompassing those he encountered in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s. The review indicated that he subsequently relocated to Zimbabwe and then South Africa, where he subjected as many as 100 boys aged 13 to 17 to abuse. The report concluded that by 2013, the Church of England “knew, at the highest level” about Smyth’s abusive conduct, a fact that included Mr. Welby, who assumed the Church’s principal position in that same year. The independent report asserted that had he and other Church officials reported this to law enforcement in the UK and authorities in South Africa at that juncture, “John Smyth could have [been] brought to justice at a much earlier point”. Smyth was subject to a police investigation at the time of his death in South Africa in 2018. Survivors of church abuse have additionally demanded the resignations of other high-ranking church members who neglected to report Smyth to the police.