Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, announced on Tuesday that he is resigning from his post over the church abuse scandal, according to a statement.
The archbishop emphasized the Church of England’s sense of shame for “defending failure”, According to In the statement. Mr. Welby’s decision came during an independent investigation last week that concluded that Mr. Welby did not do enough regarding allegations of abuse of young people and boys by British lawyer John Smith, The New York Times reported. Reported. reported.
“The Makin’ Review has exposed a long-running conspiracy of silence about John Smith’s heinous abuses,” Welby wrote. “When I was informed that a police report had been filed in 2013, I mistakenly believed that a proper resolution was awaiting me. It is clear that we must take personal and organizational responsibility.”
The New York Times reported that the abuse occurred in the 1970s and 1980s at a camp for Christian boys run by Smith and where Welby worked. An internal investigation into Smith’s abuse allegations began in 1982, but its findings were never made public.
“The last few days have renewed the deep sense of shame I have felt for many years at the historic security failures of the Church of England. For almost 12 years I have struggled to introduce improvements. ” Welby wrote. “It’s up to others to judge what was done.”
Ms Welby previously claimed she did not know about the abuse until 2013. According to To the New York Times. The archbishop apologized in February for not investigating the abuse allegations further.
CANTERBURY, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 25: Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby celebrates Holy Communion and preaches to the congregation on Christmas Day at Canterbury Cathedral on December 25, 2015 in Canterbury, England. (Photo by Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
“In the meantime, I stand by my promise to meet the victims,” Welby wrote. “We intend to delegate all other current safeguarding responsibilities until the necessary risk assessment processes are completed.”
“I believe it is in the best interests of the Church of England that I step down. I truly love the Church of England and am honored to serve it,” Mr Welby added. “We pray that this decision will lead us to the love that Jesus Christ has for each of us.”
Newcastle Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley called for Mr Welby’s resignation on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s announcement. According to To the New York Times. Mr Welby has served as archbishop since 2013 and was previously scheduled to retire in 2026.
“I think people are rightly asking, ‘Can we really trust the Church of England to keep us safe?'” And I think the answer at the moment is no. ” Hartley said, the NYT reported.
In April 2023, Church of England leaders accused Mr Welby of “blasphemy” for supporting blessings for same-sex couples. Mr Welby spoke out against legislation criminalizing homosexuality in 2023. (Related: Catholics hold ‘rosary vigil’ in front of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s home over ‘blasphemous’ video)
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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