Survivors demand justice in UK as Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over abuse cover-up

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) – The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has announced his resignation following a damning report that concluded he failed to report a prolific child abuser associated with the Church of England.

The decision has sent shockwaves through the Church and amplified calls for greater accountability, with survivors and members of the clergy urging more resignations from those involved in the decades-long scandal.

Tuesday’s resignation follows the findings of an independent review that revealed Welby and other senior church officials had enough information in 2013 to report allegations against John Smyth to authorities but failed to act.

Smyth, a prominent Christian barrister and camp leader, was accused of physically and sexually abusing boys and young men in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s, and later in Zimbabwe and South Africa. He died in 2018 without being brought to justice.

The review criticized the Church’s inaction as a “missed opportunity” to protect potential victims and hold Smyth accountable.

According to the BBC, the decision of the Church’s most senior figure to step down has sparked internal debate.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who ranks second in the Church’s hierarchy, stated that while those responsible for actively covering up abuse should resign, bishops should not be the ones to bear responsibility alone.

He added that Welby’s resignation should be seen as sufficient, though he agreed that further action is needed against those who "systematically covered this up."

Bishop Julie Conalty, the deputy lead bishop for safeguarding, acknowledged on BBC Radio 4's Today program that there are no guarantees that abuse could not occur within the Church, noting that "no institution can ever be totally safe."

Conalty, who also serves as the Bishop of Birkenhead, echoed calls for more resignations, emphasizing that additional steps should be taken to remove those involved in shielding abusers.

The resignation has fueled demands for cultural change within the Church, with Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley warning that ongoing progress in Church safeguarding measures risks being "undermined by the arrogance of a few."

Church leaders, including Cottrell, have promised that independent oversight of safeguarding will be implemented next year to address longstanding institutional shortcomings.

In a related development, Church leaders on Wednesday met virtually with victims of John Smyth’s abuse, many of whom expressed frustration, saying Welby’s resignation alone is insufficient.

Survivors of abuse within the Church are calling for senior Church officials to face further scrutiny over their handling of allegations against John Smyth.

Mark Stibbe, a former vicar and author, told Channel 4 News that he believed Justin Welby had "done the right thing" by stepping down, and that survivors, including himself, had been calling for his resignation for years.

"I applaud Justin Welby for resigning," Stibbe said. "But I believe that the survivor community wants to see more resignations, as that would signify greater accountability—people accepting responsibility for staying silent when they should have spoken out."

He added, "If senior clergy have broken the law, they must be held accountable."

Another survivor, Richard Gittins, told Sky News that bishops who "kept the stories to themselves" should now face questioning.