Church leader's role in historic abuse case puts his future in question
Independent report shows Archbishop of Canterbury didnt act on child abuse information for years. Victims and church officials now question his leadership after findings about John Smyth case revealed
A new-found report about child abuse in the Church of England puts Justin Welby‚ the Archbishop of Canterbury in a difficult spot. The document (released early november) shows he didnt follow-up on info about John Smyth – a now-dead barrister who hurt around 130 young people
The findings point to a missed chance in 2013: if Welby had made sure police looked into concerns‚ Smyth could have faced justice before his death in south africa five years ago. The church leader knew Smyth from religious camps back in the 70s; however he claims he “had no idea about the abuse“ until 2013
I think it feels like he prioritised his position and the reputation of his church above the plight of the victims
Morse‚ who was hurt as a teen says its a clear case of duty-failing. Another victim‚ Richard Gittins – who got beaten at events in Winchester tells that the Archbishop should step down. The abuse included:
- Regular beatings
- Sexual violence
- Physical attacks leaving wounds
- Abuse at Christian camps
The Bishop of Newcastle‚ Helen-Ann Hartley points out that the church is losing trust: “Can we really trust the Church of England to keep us safe; I think the answer at the moment is no.“ Yet Welby stays firm – he wont resign despite taking “a lot of thought“ about it
A church office rep explains that Welby feels sorry both for his own mistakes and the wider churchs role in hiding abuse. The case came to light after a tv show in early 17‚ leading to more digging by news-people who found links between the Archbishop and this dark chapter
