Archbishop Of Canterbury Justin Welby Steps Down Amid Controversy Over Child Abuse Case

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the Church of England’s highest-ranking official, has announced his resignation over his handling of a high-profile child abuse case. Welby issued a statement on Tuesday, saying he had obtained "the gracious permission of His Majesty The King" to step down from his position.

Welby’s decision follows intense scrutiny after an independent review exposed "sickening abuse" by John Smyth, a late British lawyer and known serial abuser associated with the church. The report, commissioned by the church and released on November 7, detailed a “disturbing pattern of deference” to Smyth, concluding that “a serious crime was covered up.”

In his statement, Welby acknowledged the failings and the trauma survivors endured due to prolonged inaction. "The review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth," he said. Welby explained that he first learned of Smyth’s abuses in 2013, believing the authorities had been informed and would take action. “I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow,” he admitted, emphasizing that he accepts “personal and institutional responsibility” for the years of re-traumatization survivors endured.

While the precise date of Welby’s departure is yet to be determined, he may remain in office through the Christmas season. At 68, Welby was approaching the church’s retirement age of 70, set for January 2026. Traditionally, Archbishops of Canterbury join Britain’s House of Lords upon retirement; however, opposition to Welby’s elevation to the House is anticipated given the circumstances of his resignation.

Welby, a former oil executive, has led the Church of England since 2013. Known for his management skills and focus on church unity, his tenure has been marked by internal divides, particularly over LGBTQ+ issues. Despite bolstering the church’s safeguarding measures, including increasing staff to address abuse cases, systemic failures persisted. Last year, the church’s head of safeguarding resigned, and in recent days, the Bishop of Newcastle publicly called for Welby’s resignation, citing the church’s lack of moral authority.

The report on Smyth revealed he abused as many as 130 boys and young men at evangelical Christian summer camps in the 1970s and 1980s, targeting students from elite British schools. Smyth continued his abuses even after relocating to Zimbabwe and South Africa in the 1980s, with church officials aware but failing to intervene. Welby, who once worked at the same camps and maintained limited contact with Smyth over the years, said he did not ensure a vigorous pursuit of allegations when he became Archbishop.

The independent review noted that, although it couldn’t definitively confirm Welby’s awareness of Smyth’s abuses before 2013, he likely had some knowledge that Smyth posed concerns. Welby has consistently called for accountability among church leaders in handling abuse, but his resignation sets a historic precedent as no previous Archbishop of Canterbury has ever stepped down over a child abuse case.

With this decision, Welby underscores the gravity of the crisis and the necessity of transparency and accountability in the Church of England. The long and painful legacy of Smyth’s abuses has cast a shadow over the church’s credibility, leaving Welby’s successor with the daunting task of restoring trust and healing the damage left in its wake.