Existentialist crises might more commonly be associated with some who seek out religion, rather than with those religions themselves, but that’s where the Church of England has found itself in recent days.
The resignation of Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, followed a damning report into the church’s shameful failures over the serial child abuser John Smyth, which detailed even more disturbing details of cover-ups by some senior clergy.
Harriet Sherwood’s piece for the Guardian Weekly’s cover story pieces together the Church of England’s biggest crisis in modern times – from which there seems no clear pathway out – and considers what it means for the wider Anglican church and its 85 million members worldwide.
From southern Africa, Rachel Savage and Farai Shawn Matiashe report on the trauma still felt by Smyth’s victims in Zimbabwe, where the C of E’s leaders hoped he would be out of sight and out of mind.
And the commentator Catherine Pepinster, who has written extensively on the historical abuse scandals in the Catholic church, asks whether the main failing of Welby, a former oil executive, was to focus more on efficiency than on listening.
Black Friday offer: get 1/3 off a Guardian Weekly annual subscription
***
Five essential reads in this week’s edition
1
Spotlight | Trump’s shock-and-awe team
A flurry of controversial and extremist picks for Trump’s administration has provoked criticism and made heads spin. David Smith reports from Washington
2
Science | The inverse link between cancer and dementia
Scientists have long been aware of a curious connection between these common and feared diseases. At last, a clearer picture is emerging, writes Theres Lüthi
3
Feature | Kernels of hope
During the siege of Leningrad, botanists in charge of an irreplaceable seed collection, the first of its kind, had to protect it from fire, rodents – and hunger. By Simon Parkin
4
Opinion | Seven lessons from a long-serving economics editor
From Thatcher to Trump and Brexit, the Guardian’s outgoing economics editor, Larry Elliott, reflects on his 28 years in the role.
5
Culture | Faking history
Film and TV have a slippery relationship with the truth when it comes to historical epics. Simon Usborne meets the experts whose advice goes unheeded
***
What else we’ve been reading
Ernie had wanted to break up with Eric, but it turns out that Morecambe was wise. A poignant 1950 letter from Wise to Morecambe – part of a remarkable treasure trove of memorabilia going up for auction in January – reveals how one of Britain’s most treasured comedy double acts almost ended before it had properly begun. Graham Snowdon, editor
***
Other highlights from the Guardian website
• Audio | Assassins, spies and a superpower on the rise: the rift between Canada and India
• Video | ‘A horrific smell’: Geelong’s corpse flower blooms
• Gallery | ‘You never knew what to expect!’ London street markets
***
Get in touch
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the magazine: for submissions to our letters page, please email weekly.letters@theguardian.com. For anything else, it’s editorial.feedback@theguardian.com
***
Follow us
Get the Guardian Weekly magazine delivered to your home address
