Archbishop of Canterbury Welby resigns over Church abuse scandal

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the Church of England, has announced his resignation following significant criticism over his response to a longstanding sexual abuse scandal.

The pressure on Welby intensified after last week’s release of the Makin Review, an independent report detailing the Church’s alleged cover-up of abuse by John Smyth in the UK during the late 1970s and early 80s, which continued in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Smyth is believed to have abused approximately 130 boys.

The review concluded that Welby’s failure to formally report the abuse to the police a decade ago may have allowed Smyth to avoid justice. According to the report, Welby did not initiate a thorough investigation into the abuse claims, which involved over 100 young boys and men at Christian camps.

In a statement shared on social media, Welby explained, “Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury.

“The Makin Review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth. When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow. It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024.”

Welby’s resignation marks a major moment for the Church of England. As Archbishop of Canterbury, Welby served as the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church, as well as the ceremonial head of the Anglican Communion and bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury.

Here’s the archbishop’s full statement:

“Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury.

“The Makin Review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth. When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow.

“It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024.

“It is my duty to honour my constitutional and church responsibilities, so exact timings will be decided once a review of necessary obligations has been completed, including those in England and in the Anglican Communion.

“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.

“As I step down I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse. The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England.

“For nearly twelve years I have struggled to introduce improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done.

“In the meantime, I will follow through on my commitment to meet victims. I will delegate all my other current responsibilities for safeguarding until the necessary risk assessment process is complete.

“I ask everyone to keep my wife Caroline and my children in their prayers. They have been my most important support throughout my ministry, and I am eternally grateful for their sacrifice.

“Caroline led the spouses’ programme during the Lambeth Conference and has travelled tirelessly in areas of conflict supporting the most vulnerable, the women, and those who care for them locally.

“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.

“I pray that this decision points us back towards the love that Jesus Christ has for every one of us. 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.”