Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby announced his resignation on Tuesday, acknowledging his failure to act decisively on reports of abuse by John Smyth, a former Church leader accused of decades-long abuse of minors. Smyth’s crimes, which were revealed in a damning review last week, were known to senior Church officials in 2013 but were not properly reported to authorities, delaying justice for survivors.
The report, known as the Makin Review, detailed how the Church of England’s highest ranks, including Welby, were aware of Smyth’s abuse of boys he encountered at Christian camps in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s. Despite this knowledge, the Church did not inform police in the UK or authorities in South Africa, where Smyth continued to abuse young boys after moving abroad. Smyth died in 2018 in South Africa without ever facing justice.
In his resignation statement, Welby expressed remorse, said, “The Makin Review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth.” He acknowledged that when he first learned of the issue in 2013, he “believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow.”
The Archbishop said he was stepping down in sorrow, both in solidarity with survivors and as an act of accountability. “It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024,” he said. “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.”
The review’s findings led to increasing calls for Welby to step aside, especially as evidence mounted that Church authorities could have prevented additional harm if they had acted sooner. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office responded to the resignation, noting that he “respects the decision” and that his “thoughts, first and foremost, remain with all the victims.”
Welby plans to remain in his position for a transitional period while completing a review of his obligations, including meeting with victims. He pledged to delegate his safeguarding responsibilities and continue his efforts to improve safety within the Church.
Reflecting on his tenure, Welby expressed deep regret over the Church’s historic failings in safeguarding. “For nearly 12 years I have struggled to introduce improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done,” he said. He also acknowledged the support of his family, especially his wife Caroline, who “led the spouses’ programme during the Lambeth Conference and has travelled tirelessly in areas of conflict supporting the most vulnerable.”
Concluding his statement, Welby expressed his enduring love for the Church, stating, “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.” He added, “For above all else, my deepest commitment is to the person of Jesus Christ, my saviour and my God; the bearer of the sins and burdens of the world, and the hope of every person.”
About Author
Leave a Reply