In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…
- Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned after a report found the Church of England covered up abuse by a Church-affiliated lawyer, John Smyth, impacting over 130 victims.
- Welby faced mounting pressure to quit, acknowledging responsibility for the delayed action and expressing sorrow for the victims
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, announced his resignation on Tuesday following a critical report that accused the Church of England of covering up a case of serial abuse.
The independent Makin Review found that Welby “could and should” have reported the abuse, committed by a Church-affiliated lawyer, to authorities as early as 2013.
Pressure had been mounting on Welby, with a petition calling for his resignation gathering nearly 14,000 signatures, and senior clergy members, including some bishops, urging him to step down.
In his resignation statement, Welby expressed sorrow and emphasized the need for accountability, saying, “I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and re-traumatising period between 2013 and 2024.”
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The Makin Review revealed that John Smyth, a lawyer running evangelical camps in the 1970s and 1980s, committed extensive and brutal abuse against around 130 young men and boys in Britain, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Smyth, who died in 2018, was under investigation by British police but never faced charges.
The report criticized the Church for covering up his abuses and failing to alert authorities, a missed opportunity that may have prolonged the danger Smyth posed.
Appointed in 2013, Welby initially apologized but resisted calls to resign, stating he was unaware of the abuse prior to his appointment.
However, he admitted to mistakenly assuming that authorities had been properly informed after learning about the case in 2013.
Just hours before Welby’s resignation, Prime Minister Keir Starmer underscored the seriousness of the Church’s failure, expressing solidarity with Smyth’s victims.