Bishop’s resignation latest in series of difficulties for Church of England
Bishop’s resignation latest in series of difficulties for Church of England
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The Bishop of Liverpool’s resignation is the latest development in what has been a tumultuous time for the Church of England. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how events have unfolded in recent months. – November 7. The independent review by Keith Makin into the Church of England’s handling of allegations of serious abuse by the late John Smyth is published.
It concludes barrister Smyth, thought to be the most prolific serial abuser associated with the Church, might have been brought to justice had the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby formally reported allegations to police in 2013. The Makin Review says “had that been done, on the balance of probabilities”, Smyth – who led Christian summer camps – could have been brought to justice “at a much earlier point”.
Smyth is said to have subjected as many as 130 boys and young men to traumatic attacks across five decades in three different countries in the UK and Africa. Dr Welby says he is “deeply sorry that this abuse happened”, that he “had no idea or suspicion of this abuse before 2013” and acknowledges he had “personally failed to ensure that after disclosure in 2013 the awful tragedy was energetically investigated”.
But he says while he has considered resigning, he has taken advice from senior colleagues and decided not to do so. – November 12. Five days on from the report’s publication and amid mounting pressure, Dr Welby announces he has sought permission from the King to resign.
He says recent days have “renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England” and that he has decided to go “in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve”.
