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Former Archbishop Justin Welby Addresses Abuse Scandal, Offers Forgiveness to Perpetrator
Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has expressed forgiveness towards a serial abuser at the heart of the controversy that prompted his resignation as leader of the Church of England. Welby also conveyed feelings of “profound shame” regarding remarks he made following his decision to step down amidst the John Smyth abuse scandal.
Welby Reflects on Resignation and Church’s Handling of Abuse Allegations
In his first interview since his November resignation, Welby admitted he had “not really thought it through enough, to be honest” when he initially resisted calls to resign last year. His departure marked a historic moment as he became the first Archbishop to resign following an independent review criticizing his handling of abuse allegations against John Smyth.
The review concluded that Welby should have acted more decisively and promptly upon receiving reports of abuse perpetrated by Smyth, a lawyer who is believed to have victimized approximately 130 boys before his death in 2018.
Archbishop’s Forgiveness and Survivor’s Response
When questioned about whether he forgave Smyth, Welby affirmed in a BBC interview with Laura Kuenssberg, stating: “Yes. I think if he was alive and I saw him, but it’s not me he’s abused. He’s abused the victims and survivors. So whether I forgive or not is, to a large extent, immaterial.”
A survivor of Smyth’s abuse, reacting to Welby’s statements, told Kuenssberg: “I came forward 13 years ago and what the church has put me through makes the historic abuse pale into insignificance. It has been the most extraordinary traumatic journey trying to get answers. I don’t care about Smyth.”
Independent Review Faults Church Safeguarding Practices
The independent review, conducted by Keith Makin, underscored significant shortcomings in the Church’s safeguarding protocols. Makin’s report proposed recommendations for enhancing safeguarding practices and determined that Smyth could have faced legal consequences had the Archbishop formally reported the allegations to law enforcement a decade prior.
Welby’s Change of Heart and Decision to Step Down
Initially, Welby indicated he would not resign in the wake of the report. However, he ultimately resigned five days later, an action that precipitated a crisis within the Church of England.
In the BBC interview, Welby explained: “What altered my perspective was the unintended disclosure of the report and my subsequent inadequate consideration of its implications, to be frank.”
“Over that weekend, as I thoroughly examined the report and contemplated the appalling suffering endured by survivors – suffering, as many articulated, exacerbated by the institutional church’s ineffective response – it progressively became apparent that my resignation was necessary,” Welby elaborated.
Regret Over House of Lords Speech and Acknowledgment of Shame
Welby also expressed remorse regarding his final address in the House of Lords. In that speech, he made a reference to a 14th-century beheading, which elicited laughter from fellow members, and quipped about the disruption to his diary secretary’s schedule due to his resignation announcement. These comments provoked outrage from abuse victims and others.
The former Archbishop acknowledged that he “wasn’t in a good state of mind at the time” and conceded that he should not have delivered the speech at all. “It undeniably caused deep distress, and I am profoundly ashamed of it. I issued an apology within 24 hours, and my deep sense of shame persists,” he added.
“Overwhelmed” by Scale of Church Abuse Crisis
Welby further explained in the interview that his failure to take decisive action against the serial abuser was partly attributed to feeling “overwhelmed” by the sheer magnitude of the abuse crisis within the Church.
“Daily, more historical cases of abuse that had not been adequately addressed were brought to my attention. This particular case felt like just another instance amidst an incredibly demanding period,” he stated.
Survivor Questions Prioritization of Smyth Case
The survivor of Smyth’s abuse, reacting to Kuenssberg, questioned why the case had not been given higher priority by Welby. “You may be overwhelmed by other cases, but if this one wasn’t fairly close to the top of the priority list, then what was?” the survivor questioned.