The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, primate of the Church of England, announced his resignation on Tuesday between pressure from bishops for not having acted in 2013 experienced a serious case of child abuse within this communion. Welby, spiritual leader of Anglicans around the world, said in a statement that takes responsibility for its management and indicated that his departure will be scheduled taking into account his institutional and constitutional obligations.
The archbishop, who had until now ruled out resigning, explained that, as per protocol, He asked King Charles III for permission to do so.head (non-religious) of the Church of England, the majority in the United Kingdom. In his memo, Welby claims that when he took office in 2013, he was informed that police were aware of alleged decades-long abuse by Christian camp leader John Smyth, and that he was “thinking about wrong that there would be a resolution.”
“It is clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and traumatic period between 2013 and 2024,” when an internal investigation revealed the mistakes made by the parties and their individual responsibility, he said. The Anglican leader acknowledged that the so-called Makin report, presented last week, revealed “the long conspiracy of silence over John Smyth’s atrocious abuse”.
The document concluded that the archbishop allowed, through his inaction, the prosecution of crimes allegedly committed by the Canadian lawyer, to whom the crime is attributed. sexual, physical and psychological abuse of more than a hundred minors in his role as leader of the Christian camps. Smyth, who died in South Africa in 2018 while under investigation by British police, is believed to be the most prolific pedophile associated with the Church of England, the birthplace of Anglicanism worldwide.
“I hope my decision makes it clear that The Church of England understands the need for change and our deep commitment to creating a safer church,” said Welby, who improved child welfare guidelines during his tenure.
Thousands of people have signed an online petition coordinated by members of the Anglican faith’s synod or assembly calling for the archbishop’s immediate resignation, and several senior officials have joined the pressure in recent days. As the highest Anglican authority, Welby officiated at the coronation of Charles III in May 2023 and the weddings of Princes William and Harry.
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