Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has resigned, saying he failed to properly investigate allegations of abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps decades ago.
“The last few days have renewed my long-felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England,” Welby said in his resignation letter.
As the spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide, Welby faced criticism for not taking enough action to stop serial abuser John Smyth. Smyth, a British lawyer, abused over 100 boys and young men physically and sexually over 40 years.
Welby stated, “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. As I step down, I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse.”
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell praised Welby’s resignation, calling it “the right and honorable thing to do.” Welby’s successor will face challenges in uniting the worldwide Anglican community and reversing the decline in church attendance.
Indicted By The Makin Report
The independent Makin Report revealed Welby’s handling of abuse allegations dating back to the 1970s was insufficient. Smyth’s abuse included beating victims with up to 800 strokes of a cane and supplying nappies to absorb bleeding.
Welby worked at the Christian camps as a dormitory officer before being ordained and became aware of the accusations in 2013. However, the report concluded he failed in his “personal and moral responsibility” to ensure a proper investigation.
Welby apologized for “failures and omissions” but claimed he had “no idea or suspicion” of the allegations before 2013. The report disputed this, stating that if reported to police in 2013, Smyth might have faced charges before he died in 2018.
The process to appoint a new archbishop has begun, with potential successors including Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich, and Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford.
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