Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby Resigns Following Abuse Cover-Up Revelation

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby Resigns Following Abuse Cover-Up Revelation

By Fly Cable News

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has resigned following the release of the independent Makin review, which revealed that the Church of England had concealed sexual abuse by barrister John Smyth.

The resignation comes after calls for Welby’s departure in the wake of the report, which uncovered a longstanding cover-up of Smyth’s abuses. In a statement, Welby acknowledged the failure to act, admitting that he wrongly believed the matter had been properly addressed when he was informed in 2013 that Smyth had been reported to the police.

“I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury, having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King,” Welby said. “It is clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the prolonged and retraumatizing period between 2013 and 2024.”

The Makin review, published last week, examined Smyth’s abuse of children and young men, detailing physical, sexual, psychological, and spiritual attacks. The report concluded that Smyth could have been brought to justice had Welby reported the abuse to the authorities a decade ago.

Smyth, who died in 2018 while under investigation by Hampshire Police, was never held accountable for his actions, the review noted.