Child Abuse: Archbishop of Canterbury quits in as victims demand more resignations

For failure to report serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps to authorities promptly upon learning of it, as an investigation concluded, Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, stepped down.

 

Welby expressed a “profound sense of shame” over “the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England”.

 

The pressure on Welby had intensified in recent weeks, with the findings of the Makin Review released last Thursday sparking widespread anger over accountability within the Church’s leadership. Calls for his resignation grew among members of the General Synod, the Church of England’s national governing body, as some clergy launched a petition asserting that Welby had “lost the confidence of his clergy”.

 

Helen-Ann Hartley, the Bishop of Newcastle, stated on Monday that Welby’s position had become “untenable” following the petition.

 

Said Welby in a statement: “Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign.

 

“I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve.”

 

Welby had tried to stay in post following the Makin Review but bowed to growing pressure over his position.

 

However, victims of the Church of England’s worst ever child abuser demanded more resignations after the Archbishop of Canterbury quit in ‘shame’ over the scandal.

 

Justin Welby had been under days of pressure after a damning review into the most prolific abuser associated with the Church of England, barrister John Smyth, found he might have been brought to justice had the archbishop formally alerted authorities in 2013.

 

Said he while announcing his decision to step down over his handling of the scandal: “The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England”.

 

Smyth, a lay church reader, abused as many as 130 boys over five decades before his death in 2018, the independent Makin review found.

 

Victims have now called for further heads to roll within the Church of England.

 

Richard Gittins said bishops “who kept the stories to themselves” should now be the focus of questioning.

 

Mr. Gittins told Sky News after Mr. Welby publicly announced he was resigning: “I’m pleased he’s resigned.”

 

He further said: “It now shows that he’s taken some action, and I think this also means that the focus can be turned on other people who knew and haven’t done anything about it.

 

“So he’s moved away, so that other people can answer the questions that need to be put to them, particularly bishops.

 

“Although, he’s the highest person in the church, he’s not the most responsible for the cover-up.

 

“So, I think it’s time now to focus the attention on other bishops who kept the stories to themselves”.

 

Mark Stibbe, a former vicar and author, told Channel 4 News that he thought Mr. Welby had made the right decision in standing down, but called for others to also go.

 

Said Stibbe: “We asked for the Archbishop of Canterbury, who we know knew about the abuses in 2013, and the Bishop of Ely and other senior figures in the Church of England to do the right thing, and Justin Welby has done the right thing.

 

“He has admitted that at a personal and at an institutional level we have been failed and other people can see that.

 

“What I think the survivor group would like is more resignations because that means more accountability, people taking responsibility for having been silent when they should have spoken.”

 

Another victim of Smyth, Andrew Morse, has said he was subjected to after-prayer beatings as a boy between 1978 and 1982.

 

Mr. Morse said he first met Smyth while a pupil at Winchester College, Hampshire, and told the Daily Telegraph that the Archbishop had taken a “brave step” by resigning.

 

He said that it would “bring some measure of closure” to victims.

 

Added he: “Obviously he’s just the leader and there are countless other Anglican churchmen who equally bear responsibility.

 

“But I think by taking this step, he’s providing an example for them whether they follow it or not.”

 

Among those facing calls to quit is the Bishop of Lincoln, Stephen Conway, who has apologised for not taking “further action” after allegations about Smyth were reported to his then diocese in 2013.

 

The past week had seen a range of people, from the Bishop of Newcastle to abuse victims and members of the General Synod – the Church of England’s parliament – insist that Mr Welby’s position had become “untenable” over the scandal.

 

Mr Welby’s resignation said he was “deeply saddened” by what had happened.

 

Said the Rev. Dr. Ian Paul: “I’m saddened that this episode has come up, I’m grieved for the victims, the survivors and that they’ve had to go through this again.

 

“I think it’s very sad that this whole episode has happened, I think it’s sad that the Makin Report had to happen, and I think it’s sad that it’s taken so long for meaningful action to take place.

 

“If I’m pleased about anything it’s that Justin has taken himself at his own words. I’ve never been interested in picking on somebody or tokenism or scapegoating.”

 

He said he hoped “this is the first step towards the kind of cultural change in senior leadership that the Makin Review is pointing us towards.”

 

Noted Dame Sarah: “Archbishop Justin’s decision reflects a recognition of the standards to which we are all held. It also creates the necessary space to enable change.

 

“We need a genuinely survivor-focused approach, with independent scrutiny and mandatory reporting at its heart. From this moment, the Church must drive fundamental safeguarding reform.”

 

Dr. Joanne Grenfell, the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop, said the failings identified in the Makin Report into Smyth’s abuse meant it was “now necessary for others to take up the baton” on safeguarding.

 

She described her “sadness” at news of Mr. Welby’s resignation but said she respected and understood it.

 

Added she: “I have worked closely with Archbishop Justin since I took on this role and have greatly valued his personal commitment to good safeguarding and his desire to see the whole Church make this a priority.”