Archbishop Justin Welby announced his resignation following intense scrutiny over the Church of England’s handling of historical segxwal abuse allegations, particularly highlighted by the recent Makin review.
This independent review exposed that the Church had covered up abuses by barrister John Smyth, who was found to have committed prolonged and severe abuse under church oversight.
Welby, who described the findings as exposing a “conspiracy of silence,” acknowledged his decision was in the “best interests” of the Church.
The resignation follows rising calls for accountability from church leaders and advocates, including the Bishop of Newcastle, who publicly supported Welby’s departure as a step toward justice and healing within the Church of England.
According to Welby, he believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow when he was told in 2013 that Smyth had been reported to the police.
In a statement, Welby said: ‘Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury.
It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatizing period between 2013 and 2024.
The independent Makin review into John Smyth QC’s abuse of children and young men was published last week.
John Smyth QC is said to have subjected his victims to traumatic physical, s3xual, psychological and spiritual attacks.
The report concluded he might have been brought to justice had Mr Welby formally reported it to police a decade ago.
Smyth died aged 75 in Cape Town in 2018 while under investigation by Hampshire Police, and so was “never brought to justice for the abuse”, the review said.
