Thu Nov 14 08:21:17 UTC 2024: ## Archbishop of Canterbury Resigns Amid Abuse Scandal
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has resigned following an independent report that criticized his handling of abuse allegations against a prominent volunteer associated with the Church of England. The Makin Report, published last week, found that Welby failed to pursue an investigation into allegations of physical and sexual abuse by the late John Smyth, who held leadership roles in a charity called the Iwerne Trust, which ran Christian summer camps in England and Wales.
Smyth was accused of subjecting boys and young men to “brutal and horrific” abuse over a 40-year period, including caning victims with up to 800 strokes and engaging in inappropriate physical contact. Despite reports of abuse dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, the Iwerne Trust, the Church of England, and the schools involved failed to report the matter to the police. Smyth eventually fled to South Africa, where he died in 2018.
Welby, who has been Archbishop since 2013, acknowledged “personal and institutional responsibility” for the lack of action taken against Smyth, stating his “profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England.” He claimed to have had “no idea or suspicion” of the allegations before 2013, but the independent report concluded it was unlikely he had no knowledge of the concerns regarding Smyth in the 1980s.
Welby’s resignation comes against a backdrop of widespread historical sexual abuse within the Church of England. A 2022 report by the Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse found that the church’s culture and practices created an environment conducive to abuse.
The Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), a body of clerics responsible for selecting the Archbishop, will now begin the process of finding Welby’s successor. Several candidates are being considered, including the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, and the Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley. If a woman is chosen, she would be the first to occupy the post.
This resignation highlights the ongoing challenge for the Church of England to address its history of sexual abuse and regain the trust of its members. The public awaits the appointment of a new Archbishop and the direction the Church will take under their leadership.
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