Bishop of Chelmsford Addresses Grave Findings of Church Abuse Review

The Bishop of Chelmsford stated that the conclusions of the review concerning a serial abuser within the Church of England “should shake us to the core”. Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani’s comments followed the release of a report that determined John Smyth QC’s abuse of over 100 children and young men had been concealed within the Church of England. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tendered his resignation on Tuesday. Dr. Francis-Dehqani noted that the Archbishop had accepted “responsibility for his failures.” She informed BBC Essex, “We need to continue to get better at hearing the voices of victims, there is no doubt about that.” She further added, “We have to do everything we possibly can, and this is just a frightening reminder of how important that task continues to be.” The independent review conducted by Keith Makin, a former director in social services, revealed that Mr. Smyth, a barrister, had abused boys he encountered at Christian summer camps during the 1970s and 80s. According to the review, Mr. Welby “could and should” have reported the abuse to the police in 2013. Mr. Smyth held a senior position within the Christian charity, the Iwerne Trust, and is considered to be the most prolific serial abuser linked to the Church of England. Dr. Francis-Dehqani, who has held the position of Bishop of Chelmsford since April 2021, commented, “It is a very sad day for a whole range of reasons.” She continued, “First and foremost, I think in all our minds are the victims and those for whom the traumas will be reopened in the events of recent days and for the horrific things that went over many years.” “Like many others it has been with shame and deep sadness that I have read the recent Makin review,” she stated. She concluded by adding, “We all have to take responsibility for creating a safer culture in the church.” Updates on Essex news are available via BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. The content is copyrighted by BBC 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding the BBC’s policy on external linking is accessible.