Abuse within the Church of England is a “whole church problem”, its safeguarding lead has said, after the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned following a damning report that revealed a cover-up spanning decades.
It comes as victims of John Smyth, who is thought to be the most prolific abuser associated with the church, called for further resignations from senior clergy members involved in the scandal.
Justin Welby announced on Tuesday that he was standing down after an independent review concluded Smyth could have been brought to justice had he formally reported him to police more than a decade ago.
The former barrister died aged 75 in Cape Town in August 2018 while under investigation by Hampshire Police.
It’s really clear that we failed by allowing that abuse to happen and by allowing it to be covered up
Over five decades, more than 100 boys and young men were abused physically, sexually and psychologically in the UK and Africa by Smyth, a lay reader who ran Christian summer camps.
Mr Welby was informed of the abuse at the hands of Smyth in 2013, a few months after he was installed as Archbishop of Canterbury, and has since said that he had been told the police and local authority had been notified.
Neither of these proved to be the case, but the review found it was “reasonable to conclude” that Mr Welby had been assured that these steps had been taken.
Following Mr Welby’s resignation, Joanne Grenfell, the Church of England’s safeguarding lead, told Sky News’ Politics Hub that the church needed to “admit that there is a problem” relating to abuse, the church and its response.
She said: “This problem of abuse in the church is a whole church problem. And therefore, it has to be a whole church response.
“It’s about culture, it’s about leadership, it’s about theology.
“It’s really clear that we failed by allowing that abuse to happen and by allowing it to be covered up.”
She said she believed there was “a way forward” for the church and that change could involve bringing in experts in governance, culture change, legal aspects and data privacy.
Survivors of Smyth have welcomed Mr Welby’s departure and called for further resignations within the church of those complicit in covering up the decades of abuse.
Mark Stibbe, a former vicar and author, told Channel 4 News he thought Mr Welby had “done the right thing” and that he and fellow survivors had been calling for his resignation for years.
He said: “I applaud Justin Welby for resigning but what I think the survivor group would like is more resignations because that means more accountability, people taking responsibility for having been silent when they should have spoken.”
I think it’s time now to focus the attention on other bishops who kept the stories to themselves
When asked whether the police should look at whether people were “complicit in a cover-up”, Mr Stibbe said: “Yes, if there are senior clergy who have broken the law then they need to be called to account for that.
“But I think at a very sort of fundamental level, we’re asking for two things – we’re asking for resignations and we’re asking for reform.”
Another survivor, Richard Gittins, said bishops “who kept the stories to themselves” should now be the focus of questioning, adding that the archbishop’s resignation did not make up for the years of abuse perpetrated by Smyth and the subsequent “cover-up”.
Of Mr Welby’s resignation, Mr Gittins told Sky News: “So he’s moved away, so that other people can answer the questions that need to be put to them, particularly bishops.
“Although he’s the highest person in the church, he’s not the most responsible for the cover-up.
“So I think it’s time now to focus the attention on other bishops who kept the stories to themselves.”
Statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury.https://t.co/aNnuLBMapo pic.twitter.com/pIIR1911QU
— Archbishop of Canterbury (@JustinWelby) November 12, 2024
Andrew Morse, who said he was subjected to after-prayer beatings by Smyth as a boy between 1978 and 1982, told the Telegraph he thought Mr Welby’s resignation was “brave” and he hoped he would “find some peace” in the decision.
Mr Morse added that it would “bring some measure of closure” to victims, and said: “Obviously he’s just the leader and there are countless other Anglican churchmen who equally bear responsibility.
“But I think by taking this step, he’s providing an example for them whether they follow it or not.”
Hours before the archbishop announced his resignation, Mr Morse told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Smyth’s abuse led him to attempt suicide.
When Mr Welby steps down, he will be succeeded by the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.
With more than 100 bishops in the Church of England, among those who could succeed him are Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London; Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York; and Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Welby said he was committed to continuing his duties and that the exact timing of his departure will be decided at a later date.
He added that his decision to step down was made “in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse” and that in recent days, his “long-felt and profound sense of shame” regarding historical safeguarding failures in the church had been “renewed”.
Mr Welby is to preach at a Ukrainian memorial service at Canterbury Cathedral on November 23 and deliver a speech on housing at the Theos annual lecture in central London later this month, as well as give his traditional Christmas Day sermon at the same cathedral.
Smyth died aged 75 in Cape Town in August 2018 and was “never brought to justice for the abuse”, the Makin Review said.
