Justin Welby resigns as Archbishop of Canterbury amid abuse scandal

Welby said he hopes his resignation shows the Church’s commitment to making real changes. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who ranks second in the Church, supported Welby’s decision, calling it “the right and honourable thing to do.”

A decade of challenges and division

Welby has led the Church for a decade, facing many challenges, especially around issues like homosexuality and women’s roles. These topics have created deep divisions between liberal groups in North America and Britain and more conservative groups in Africa. Some African Anglican churches, including those in Uganda and Nigeria, have openly criticised Welby’s leadership, and they are likely to welcome his resignation.

In his resignation letter, Welby expressed deep regret and accepted responsibility for the Church’s past failures. (AP photo)

The Church’s next Archbishop will face the tough job of uniting the global Anglican community and addressing a significant decline in church attendance in Britain, which has dropped by 20% since 2019.

The Makin Report’s findings

Welby’s resignation follows the release of the independent Makin Report, which exposed how the Church of England failed to act on severe abuse allegations. The report highlighted John Smyth, a British lawyer and former leader of the Iwerne Trust, which ran Christian camps.

Smyth was accused of abusing over 100 boys and young men in a “brutal and horrific” way over four decades.

Welby’s resignation follows the release of the independent Makin Report, which exposed how the Church of England failed to act on severe abuse allegations. (AP photo)

The report said Smyth subjected victims to severe physical and sexual abuse, including beating them with hundreds of cane strokes. Some were given nappies to handle bleeding from these attacks. Smyth later moved to Africa, where he reportedly continued the abuse until he died in 2018.

According to the report, Church leaders first heard of the abuse allegations in 2013, around the time Welby became Archbishop. Welby apologised, saying he had “no idea or suspicion” of the abuse until 2013, but the report questioned this claim. It criticised Welby for not acting sooner and suggested that if the allegations had been reported to police in 2013, Smyth could have faced charges before his death.

The search for a new Archbishop

The process to select a new Archbishop of Canterbury requires a body of church leaders and a chair, appointed by the British prime minister, to recommend two candidates. Leading candidates include Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich, and Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford.

Usher is known for his support of gay rights and strong views on tackling climate change.

Francis-Dehqani, originally from Iran, has spoken openly about the murder of her brother after the Iranian Revolution. If chosen, she would become the first woman to serve as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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