Bishop: Welby’s Resignation Not a Solution to ‘Profound’ Safeguarding Failures

A bishop has stated that the departure of the Archbishop of Canterbury does not resolve the “profound” safeguarding deficiencies within the Church of England. Justin Welby resigned on Tuesday following a critical report concerning a prolific child abuser linked to the Church. This review concluded that he “could and should” have reported John Smyth’s abuse of boys and young men to law enforcement in 2013. The Rt Rev Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Newcastle—the sole bishop who publicly advocated for Mr Welby’s resignation—asserted that an “old school” culture prioritized the Church’s reputation “before the protection of the vulnerable.” Smyth, a notable barrister who passed away in 2018, operated summer camps for young Christians. A report authored by Keith Makin alleged that Smyth assaulted as many as 30 boys he encountered at these camps throughout the 1970s and 1980s, in what was characterized as a “clearly sexually motivated, sadistic regime” of beatings. Bishop Hartley stated: “This resignation does not solve the Church’s profound failure over safeguarding and the ongoing trauma caused to victims and survivors of church related abuse, nor does it excuse others whose neglect of their duties is exposed by the Makin report.” She further mentioned that she remained “deeply concerned” by a letter dated 31 October, which she received from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, and “what its tone and content says about the realities of the culture in our Church that still exist.” Bishop Hartley had previously commented that the letter demonstrated “a complete lack of awareness of how power dynamics operate in the life of the church.” Mr Welby had chosen not to comment, and a spokesperson representing Mr Cottrell stated that the letter was not meant to be coercive. In her declaration, Bishop Hartley noted that some advancements in altering safeguarding culture had been made, but these were being “undermined by the arrogance of a few.” She concluded: “We need to pause and pray for the victims we let down and commit to changing the culture of the old school: a culture that put the reputation of the Church before the protection of the vulnerable.”