Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns in abuse fallout: All to know

The archbishop of Canterbury has resigned aft an investigation recovered that he grounded to prosecute an investigation into allegations of serial beingness and intersexual maltreatment by a unpaid associated pinch nan Church of England astatine Christian summertime camps.

Justin Welby, 68, resigned connected Tuesday, 5 days aft nan independent Makin Report singled him retired for disapproval complete his handling of maltreatment allegations making love backmost to nan 1970s.

Here is what you request to know:

Who is Justin Welby, and why did he resign?

Welby announced his resignation “in sorrow”, taking “personal and organization responsibility” for a deficiency of action connected nan “heinous abuses” allegedly committed by nan precocious John Smyth, a unpaid astatine Christian summertime camps decades ago.

“The past fewer days person renewed my agelong felt and profound consciousness of shame astatine nan historical safeguarding failures of nan Church of England,” Welby said.

Educated astatine Britain’s astir prestigious backstage school, Eton, Welby worked successful nan lipid manufacture for much than a decade earlier being ordained successful 1992. He was made nan elder prelate of nan Church of England successful 2013.

Welby was an outspoken belief leader of nan world Anglican organization who grappled publically pinch issues ranging from same-sex matrimony to Britain’s migration policy, Israel’s warfare successful Gaza, slavery reparations, ambiance alteration and his ain intelligence wellness problems.

Pope Francis, left, speaks pinch Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby during a work to commemorate nan Christian conversion of St Paul successful nan Basilica of St Paul Outside The Walls successful Rome connected January 25, 2024 [Filippo Monteforte/AFP]

Who was John Smyth, and what was he accused of?

Smyth was an evangelical, Canadian-born, British barrister who held activity roles successful a kindness called nan Iwerne Trust, which ran Christian camps successful England and Wales.

Initial specifications of Smyth’s beingness maltreatment of schoolboys who had attended nan camps during nan 1970s and 1980s emerged successful a 1982 study by nan charity.

Smyth was reported to person brought pupils from prestigious nationalist schools successful England, including Winchester College, to his home, wherever he lashed them pinch a cane successful his shed.

The lawsuit was not reported to nan constabulary by nan trust, nan religion aliases nan schools whose pupils were subjected to abuse.

Instead, Smyth moved to Zimbabwe, wherever he group up nan Zambesi Ministries, which ran akin Christian camps for schoolboys.

In 1992 aft facing charges of sidesplitting a teenage boy who was recovered dormant successful a swimming pool, Smyth moved to Cape Town, South Africa.

In 2013, a unfortunate reported maltreatment by Smyth to nan Church of England, which successful move reported nan allegations to nan police, but an investigation was not initiated.

The 1982 Iwerne Trust study was made nationalist successful 2016, prompting an investigation by Channel 4 News successful 2017.

Smyth died nan adjacent twelvemonth successful Cape Town astatine nan property of 77.

In total, he has been held responsible for nan convulsive maltreatment of astatine slightest 115 children and young men successful England, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The study said Smyth had subjected boys and young men to “brutal and horrific” beingness and intersexual maltreatment complete a 40-year period.

Smyth hit immoderate victims pinch up to 800 strokes of a cane and supplied nappies to sorb nan bleeding, nan study said.

He would past drape himself complete his victims, sometimes kissing them connected nan cervix aliases back.

Welby said he had “no thought aliases suspicion” of nan allegations earlier 2013, but nan independent study concluded it was improbable he would person had nary knowledge of nan concerns regarding Smyth successful nan 1980s.

Who could win Welby?

Under nan church’s rules, nan Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) is simply a assemblage of clerics that manages nan prime of Welby’s successor.

It submits nan sanction of a preferred and an replacement campaigner to nan United Kingdom’s premier minister, who past advises nan monarch connected nan appointment.

It is excessively early to show who nan CNC will prime arsenic Welby’s successor, but location are immoderate apt candidates.

Stephen Cottrell, nan archbishop of York and nan 2nd astir elder bishop of nan Church of England, will beryllium successful nan running.

Cottrell released a connection aft Welby’s resignation, saying it was “the correct and honourable point to do”.

A erstwhile main nursing serviceman successful nan Department of Health and existent bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, could besides beryllium successful nan running. She is nan 3rd astir elder bishop successful nan Church of England.

Sarah Mullally, nan first female bishop of London, astatine St Paul’s Cathedral successful London [File: Isabel Infantes/Reuters]

The bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, has been vocal successful calling for Welby to measurement down, which could make her a imaginable campaigner arsenic nan Church of England looks to region itself from nan scandal.

She has besides precocious travel retired arsenic saying she has knowledgeable “coercive language” from Welby and Cottrell successful nan past.

Martyn Snow, nan bishop of Leicester; Graham Usher, nan bishop of Norwich; and Guli Francis-Dehqani, nan bishop of Chelmsford, person each besides been tipped to win Welby.

Snow abstained successful a religion assembly ballot connected blessings for cheery couples while Usher is successful favour of cheery rights.

Francis-Dehqani was calved successful Iran and has spoken astir really her relative was killed successful nan aftermath of nan Iranian Revolution.

If a female is chosen archbishop of Canterbury, she would beryllium nan first to inhabit nan post.

Has nan religion faced different maltreatment allegations successful nan past?

Welby’s resignation comes against nan backdrop of wide humanities intersexual maltreatment successful nan Church of England.

A 2022 study by nan Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse recovered that deference to nan authority of priests, taboos surrounding nan chat of sexuality and a civilization that gave much support to alleged perpetrators than their victims helped make nan Church of England “a spot wherever abusers could hide”.