LONDON, England —The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has announced his resignation following a damning independent report that criticized his handling of historic child abuse cases involving a former Church associate, John Smyth.
Welby, who led the Church of England for nearly 12 years, cited “personal and institutional responsibility” in his decision to step down, emphasizing the need for accountability.
The independent investigation, known as the Makin Review, exposed what it called a “long-maintained conspiracy of silence” surrounding the abuses committed by Smyth, a British barrister and senior figure in the Iwerne Trust, a Christian organization that targeted young men in the 1970s and 1980s.
Smyth’s abuses, described in graphic detail, were concealed by the Church for decades.
Some 100 boys and young men endured violent physical, sexual, and psychological assaults at his hands, with Church officials only alerting the authorities in 2013—more than 30 years after the initial abuse was uncovered.
In his resignation statement, Welby expressed deep regret over the Church’s historic safeguarding failures and took personal responsibility for the delays and mishandling of the abuse claims since his tenure began.
“When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow,” he admitted, acknowledging the retraumatization that survivors experienced over the last decade.
Welby’s association with Smyth began during his involvement with Iwerne camps in the 1970s, where the two met several times.
According to the Makin report, Welby described Smyth as intellectually impressive but maintained they were not close.
However, the report suggests that Welby’s response, upon learning of Smyth’s actions in 2013, lacked urgency and transparency.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, called Welby’s decision “the right and honorable thing to do,” while expressing solidarity with the victims.
“As Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin has decided to take his share of responsibility for the failures identified by the Makin review,” Cottrell stated.
Welby, who will continue to fulfill his duties until a formal transition plan is developed, reiterated his commitment to meeting with survivors in his remaining time in office.
He will, however, delegate all safeguarding responsibilities until the necessary risk assessments are completed.
With his resignation, the Church now faces the significant challenge of finding Welby’s successor, a process that could extend over the next six months.
This selection, a complex process involving consultation across the Anglican Communion, will eventually require approval from a committee chaired by an appointee of the Prime Minister.
This development arrives as British leaders, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, acknowledged Welby’s decision, with Starmer’s spokesperson affirming that his “thoughts first and foremost remain with all the victims.”
King Charles, the Church’s Supreme Governor, reportedly conveyed his approval for Welby’s resignation through intermediaries earlier in the day.
Welby, who led the Church of England for nearly 12 years, cited “personal and institutional responsibility” in his decision to step down, emphasizing the need for accountability.
The independent investigation, known as the Makin Review, exposed what it called a “long-maintained conspiracy of silence” surrounding the abuses committed by Smyth, a British barrister and senior figure in the Iwerne Trust, a Christian organization that targeted young men in the 1970s and 1980s.
Smyth’s abuses, described in graphic detail, were concealed by the Church for decades.
Some 100 boys and young men endured violent physical, sexual, and psychological assaults at his hands, with Church officials only alerting the authorities in 2013—more than 30 years after the initial abuse was uncovered.
In his resignation statement, Welby expressed deep regret over the Church’s historic safeguarding failures and took personal responsibility for the delays and mishandling of the abuse claims since his tenure began.
“When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow,” he admitted, acknowledging the retraumatization that survivors experienced over the last decade.
Welby’s association with Smyth began during his involvement with Iwerne camps in the 1970s, where the two met several times.
According to the Makin report, Welby described Smyth as intellectually impressive but maintained they were not close.
However, the report suggests that Welby’s response, upon learning of Smyth’s actions in 2013, lacked urgency and transparency.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, called Welby’s decision “the right and honorable thing to do,” while expressing solidarity with the victims.
“As Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin has decided to take his share of responsibility for the failures identified by the Makin review,” Cottrell stated.
Welby, who will continue to fulfill his duties until a formal transition plan is developed, reiterated his commitment to meeting with survivors in his remaining time in office.
He will, however, delegate all safeguarding responsibilities until the necessary risk assessments are completed.
With his resignation, the Church now faces the significant challenge of finding Welby’s successor, a process that could extend over the next six months.
This selection, a complex process involving consultation across the Anglican Communion, will eventually require approval from a committee chaired by an appointee of the Prime Minister.
This development arrives as British leaders, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, acknowledged Welby’s decision, with Starmer’s spokesperson affirming that his “thoughts first and foremost remain with all the victims.”
King Charles, the Church’s Supreme Governor, reportedly conveyed his approval for Welby’s resignation through intermediaries earlier in the day.
