LONDON, UK – Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby announced his resignation on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, expressing “sorrow” over what he described as a failure to ensure a thorough investigation into historical abuse allegations involving a volunteer at Christian youth camps.
The Archbishop, who serves as the senior bishop of the Church of England and the spiritual leader of approximately 85 million Anglicans worldwide, had come under mounting pressure to step down following a report that scrutinised his handling of one of the Church’s most prolific abuse cases.
“The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England,” Welby stated in his resignation announcement.
“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.”
A Decade of Challenges
Welby’s tenure, which spanned more than a decade, was marked by profound divisions within the Anglican Communion over issues such as LGBTQ rights and women clergy.
The Archbishop worked to bridge differences between more liberal Anglican churches, primarily in North America and Britain, and their conservative counterparts, especially in Africa.
However, his resignation may be welcomed by African church leaders in countries such as Uganda and Nigeria, who voiced their lack of confidence in him last year.
The Archbishop’s successor will face the dual challenges of uniting an increasingly divided Anglican community and addressing declining church attendance in the UK, which has fallen by nearly 20% since 2019.
The Makin Report and Allegations of “Brutal and Horrific” Abuse
Welby’s resignation comes just days after the release of the independent Makin Report, which criticised his response to abuse allegations from the 1970s involving John Smyth, a British lawyer and influential figure within the Iwerne Trust, which funded Christian youth camps in Dorset.
Smyth is alleged to have subjected more than 100 boys and young men to “brutal and horrific” physical and sexual abuse over four decades.
The report detailed severe abuse, including incidents in which Smyth administered hundreds of cane strokes to his victims, some of whom required nappies to manage bleeding.
The report revealed that Smyth continued these acts until close to his death in 2018, even after moving to Africa in 1984.
Welby, who was involved in the camps as a dormitory officer before his ordination, has denied any knowledge of Smyth’s actions until 2013, when he became Archbishop.
The Makin Report, however, suggests otherwise, concluding that the Archbishop failed in his “personal and moral responsibility” to initiate a robust investigation.
It further stated that, had the Church reported the allegations to the police in 2013, a full investigation might have taken place, potentially leading to charges against Smyth before his death.
“I had no idea or suspicion” of Smyth’s abuse before 2013, Welby insisted, though he acknowledged “failures and omissions” on his part.
Search for a Successor
The process to select Welby’s successor will be led by a panel of senior Church clerics and a chair appointed by the British Prime Minister, who will put forward two names for the final decision.
Speculation has already turned to likely successors, including Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich, and Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford.
Usher, known for his advocacy on LGBTQ rights and climate change, would bring a progressive stance to the role, while Francis-Dehqani, born in Iran and vocal about her family’s experiences after the Iranian Revolution, would be the first woman to serve as the Archbishop of Canterbury if appointed.
As the Church of England prepares for a transition, Welby’s resignation underscores the need for renewed commitment to safeguarding and transparency.
His departure marks the end of a turbulent era, with many now hoping that the Church can implement more robust measures to protect vulnerable individuals in its care.
