The halls of the Church of England echo with discontent as an increasing number of voices call for the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The catalyst for this mounting pressure is Welby’s alleged failure to adequately respond to reports of child abuse perpetrated by John Smyth, a once-prominent barrister who died in 2018. The scale and severity of Smyth’s crimes, coupled with the church’s apparent inaction, have ignited a firestorm of criticism directed squarely at the Archbishop.
Members of the church’s governing body, the General Synod, have launched a petition demanding Welby’s departure, asserting that he has “lost the confidence of clergy” due to his role in allowing the abuse to continue unchecked. Giles Fraser, a London vicar, added his voice to the chorus of dissent, stating on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that this scandal should serve as a “watershed moment” for the church, prompting a thorough examination of its culture of deference and the tendency of senior leadership to defend one another.
The Archbishop himself acknowledged the gravity of the situation last week, admitting that he had contemplated resigning over his “shameful” decision not to act decisively when informed of the abuse allegations against Smyth in 2013. However, a statement from Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop’s official residence, indicated that while Welby has “apologised profoundly” for his failures and the church’s “wickedness, concealment and abuse,” he does not intend to step down at this time.
A Damning Report and a Dark History
The catalyst for the current crisis was the publication of a scathing report by Keith Makin, which detailed the church’s cover-up of Smyth’s “prolific, brutal and horrific” abuse in the UK during the late 1970s and early 1980s, as well as his subsequent crimes in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The report estimates that approximately 130 boys fell victim to Smyth’s predations.
Makin’s report asserts that the Church of England “knew at the highest level about the abuse” but failed to respond effectively, instead engaging in what amounted to a cover-up. It also suggests that Welby, who had volunteered at the Iwerne Trust holiday camps where much of the abuse occurred, was likely aware of rumours surrounding Smyth as early as the late 1970s, even if he did not know the full extent of the crimes.
A Failure to Act
Perhaps most damning for Welby is the revelation that he was directly informed of the allegations against Smyth in 2013 but failed to take appropriate action. The report states that it is “unlikely” Welby would have been unaware of concerns about Smyth when he volunteered at the camps, noting, “[Welby] may not have known of the extreme seriousness of the abuse, but it is most probable that he would have had at least a level of knowledge that John Smyth was of some concern.”
This apparent contradiction with Welby’s 2017 statement to Channel 4 News, in which he claimed to have had “no idea that there was anything as horrific as this going on” and “no suspicions at all,” has only served to fuel the growing outrage directed at the Archbishop.
The Road Ahead
As the chorus of voices demanding Welby’s resignation continues to grow, the Archbishop finds himself at a critical juncture. While the current calls for his departure are being driven primarily by clergy who have long been critical of his leadership, the coming days and weeks may see this sentiment spread to a broader cross-section of the church.
Complicating matters further is the fact that Welby, 67, is rapidly approaching the Church of England’s mandatory retirement age of 70. With this deadline looming on the horizon, the Archbishop may opt to accelerate his planned departure in an attempt to salvage both his personal legacy and the church’s reputation.
Regardless of the ultimate outcome, one thing is certain: the Church of England finds itself at a crossroads, forced to confront the demons of its past and chart a course forward that prioritizes transparency, accountability, and the protection of the vulnerable. The decisions made in the coming days and weeks will likely have far-reaching implications not only for Welby and the church hierarchy but for the countless victims whose lives have been irrevocably altered by the scourge of clerical abuse.
As the Archbishop himself noted in his apology, the church must reckon with its “wickedness, concealment and abuse.” Only by facing these failures head-on and instituting meaningful reforms can the Church of England hope to rebuild trust and forge a path toward healing and redemption.
“The only way forward is through a relentless commitment to truth, justice, and the protection of the innocent. Anything less is a betrayal of the very values we claim to uphold.”
– A church insider speaking on condition of anonymity
The coming days will be critical in determining not only the fate of Archbishop Welby but the direction and soul of the Church of England itself. As the world watches and the faithful pray for guidance, one truth remains inescapable: the road to redemption is paved with difficult choices and painful reckonings. The question that remains is whether the church and its leaders are prepared to embark upon that journey, no matter the cost.
