Archbishop Justin Welby, the spiritual leader of the Church of England's approximately 85 million people, has come under pressure from growing calls for his resignation following a report revealing a cover-up of abuse by his institution. “I am extremely sorry that in places where young men and boys should feel safe and experience God's love, they were subjected to physical, sexual, mental and spiritual violence,” the priest wrote in a statement.
Last week in England A report was published according to which the local Church was supposed to cover up acts of violence committed against boys and young men. The document described, among others, lawyer John Smyth, who ran summer camps for young Christians, as a serial abuser associated with the Church of England. According to the report, Smyth, who died in 2018, was responsible for brutal abuse, such as flogging, of at least 115 children and young men in England, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Archbishop Welby said he had “no knowledge or suspicion” about the allegations before 2013. However, the report found it was unlikely that the Archbishop did not know about John Smyth in the 1980s.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin WelbyPhoto from June 4, 2024PAP/EPA/Rodrigo Sura
Welby: I'm terribly sorry
Three members of the highest authority in the Church of England, the General Synod, decided to create a petition calling on Welby to resign. According to Reuters, the petition has so far attracted over 2,900 signatures.
In a statement, the Archbishop of Canterbury admitted: “I am extremely sorry that in places where young men and boys should feel safe and experience God's love, they have been subjected to physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual violence.”
The priest apologized for “errors and omissions” in failing to properly investigate the allegations, especially after Britain's Channel 4 revealed the full scale of abuse in 2017. Welby admitted to this broadcaster that he had considered resigning, but insisted he had no knowledge of the abuse. In a statement, he said he had personally suffered a failure because he had neglected to investigate the matter.
Helen-Ann Hartley, a bishop in the Church of England, said Welby's position was now untenable. She said it is very difficult for this religious institution to continue to be a moral voice in the country. The reason is said to be the inability to organize “matters in one's own home in relation to something that is of key importance.”
The Anglican Communion includes approximately 85 million people in over 165 countries. It is the third largest Christian denomination in the world.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/Rodrigo Sura