The head of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, announced his resignation on Tuesday following a damning investigation that revealed he failed to report sexual abuse by a church volunteer, the late John Smyth, to authorities promptly.
Welby stepped down after an independent inquiry found that he knew of Smyth’s abuses as early as 2013 but did not disclose them to the police. The abuse, spanning five decades, involved the serial physical and sexual abuse of boys and young men at Christian summer camps in Britain, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Smyth, a prominent lawyer, targeted around 30 victims in the UK and 85 in Africa, according to the investigation’s findings.
The Makin Review, a 251-page report released last Thursday, concluded that Welby’s inaction prolonged the victims’ suffering. The report sparked outrage, with calls for greater accountability within the church.
In response, Welby stated, “It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and traumatising period between 2013 and 2024. 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.”
The backlash against Welby intensified following the report’s publication. Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley labeled Welby’s position as “untenable” after members of the church’s national assembly initiated a petition urging him to resign, citing a loss of confidence among clergy members.
Andrew Morse, one of Smyth’s victims who suffered abuse over five years, described Welby’s resignation as a step toward healing.
“Resigning is a chance for him to start repairing the damage caused by the church’s handling of historical abuse cases more broadly,” Morse told the BBC.
He added, “This is an opportunity for him to stand with the victims of the Smyth abuse and all victims that have not been treated properly by the Church of England in their own abuse cases.”
Welby’s resignation underscores broader issues of historical abuse within the Church of England. A 2022 report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse highlighted how a culture of deference to priests, taboos surrounding discussions of sexuality, and institutional support for alleged perpetrators created an environment where abusers could operate with impunity.
Supporters of Welby have argued that since his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013, he has worked to change the culture within the church. However, it was his handling of allegations against Smyth, which predated his tenure, that ultimately led to his downfall. Welby acknowledged last week that he should have pursued the allegations “more energetically” after learning of the abuse but initially resisted calls to resign.
Church records reveal that officials were aware of Smyth’s misconduct as far back as 1982, following an internal investigation. However, the findings were suppressed, and Smyth continued his abuse after moving to Zimbabwe in 1984 and later to South Africa, where he harmed more victims until his death in 2018.
Smyth’s crimes only became widely known in 2017 after a Channel 4 investigation prompted a police inquiry. Authorities in Hampshire were preparing to question and extradite Smyth before his death.
In a statement, Welby expressed his “horror at the scale of John Smyth’s egregious abuse” and reiterated his commitment to supporting victims. His resignation marks a critical moment for the Church of England, as it continues to grapple with its legacy of abuse and efforts to regain public trust.