Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has announced he will resign following growing pressure over his handling of the John Smyth abuse case. In a statement released today, Welby said he was stepping down in the “best interests of the Church of England” after a damning report revealed the Church had covered up the abuse.
The Makin Review, published last week, found that the Church of England was responsible for a series of failures in addressing the abuse carried out by John Smyth, a lawyer who organised evangelical summer camps in the 1970s and 1980s. Smyth was found to have committed “prolific, brutal and horrific” abuse over several years, which was ignored by Church authorities despite multiple opportunities to act.
Welby, who leads the worldwide Anglican Communion, had previously resisted calls for his resignation following the publication of the review, instead apologising for the Church’s role in the abuse. However, the mounting criticism prompted him to reconsider his position.
In today’s statement, Welby said, “Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury.” He acknowledged the severity of the situation, describing the abuse as part of a “long-maintained conspiracy of silence.”
The Archbishop admitted his failure to act appropriately when he was first informed about the abuse in 2013. At that time, he believed that the police’s involvement would lead to a swift resolution. He now accepts responsibility for the “long and retraumatising period” that followed, which lasted over a decade.
“I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the failures between 2013 and 2024,” Welby said. “It is my duty to honour my constitutional and church responsibilities.”
The resignation follows a series of revelations about the Church’s mishandling of abuse cases, which has led to deep criticism from survivors, victims, and the public. In his statement, Welby expressed deep regret for the “historic safeguarding failures” within the Church, acknowledging that despite his efforts to implement changes, much more needs to be done.
“I have struggled for nearly 12 years to improve safeguarding,” he said. “It is for others to judge what has been done.”
Welby also pledged to meet with victims and survivors of abuse, vowing to delegate his current safeguarding responsibilities until a risk assessment process is completed.
The resignation marks a significant moment for the Church of England, as it grapples with the fallout from the Smyth case and other historical abuse allegations.
