Archbishop of Canterbury Under Pressure to Resign Over Abuse Cover-up
The head of the Church of England, spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, is under pressure to resign after an investigation found that he failed to inform police about serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps as soon as he became aware of it.
Pressure Mounts
Some members of the General Synod, the church’s national assembly, have started a petition calling on Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to step down, saying he had “lost the confidence of his clergy.” The petition had garnered more than 1,800 signatures on Change.org by late morning London time on Monday.
Compounding the pressure, a senior cleric added her voice to those who believe he should resign. Helen-Ann Hartley, the bishop of Newcastle, told the BBC that Welby’s position is “untenable.”
Abuse Scandal
Calls for Welby’s resignation have grown since Thursday, when the church released the results of an independent review into John Smyth, who sexually, psychologically and physically abused about 30 boys and young men in the United Kingdom and 85 in Africa over five decades.
Investigation Findings
The 251-page report concluded that Welby failed to report Smyth to authorities when he was informed of the abuse in August 2013, soon after he became Archbishop of Canterbury.
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Welby’s Response
Welby last week took responsibility for not ensuring that the allegations were pursued as “energetically” as they should have been after he learned of the abuse, but said he had decided not to resign.
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Conclusion
The Archbishop of Canterbury is under pressure to resign due to his failure to report abuse allegations to the authorities. The investigation found that Welby had knowledge of the abuse in 2013 but failed to take action, leading to further abuse and potential criminal conviction.
FAQs
Q: What is the nature of the abuse allegations?
A: The allegations involve serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps.
Q: When did the Archbishop of Canterbury become aware of the abuse?
A: The Archbishop became aware of the abuse in August 2013.
Q: What has been the response of the Archbishop of Canterbury?
A: The Archbishop has taken responsibility for not ensuring that the allegations were pursued as “energetically” as they should have been after he learned of the abuse, but has decided not to resign.
Q: What is the significance of the Makin Review?
A: The Makin Review found that if Smyth had been reported to police in 2013, it could have helped to uncover the truth, prevented further abuse and led to a possible criminal conviction.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
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