Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to resign over handling of youth abuse scandal

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to resign over handling of youth abuse scandal
BY DAVID PAULSEN

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said Nov. 12 he will resign after an investigative report found he did not do enough to respond to allegations of child sex abuse by a British lawyer at a Christian youth camp. Photo: Neil Turner/For the Lambeth Conference

[Episcopal News Service] Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will resign under pressure for his delayed response to extensive and devastating allegations of “physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks” by a British lawyer on young victims he met at youth camps tied to the Church of England.
Welby, 68, announced his resignation in a statement released Nov. 12, acknowledging that a newly released investigative report “has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth.”
“I hope this decision makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change and our profound commitment to creating a safer church. As I step down I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse,” Welby said. “The last few days have renewed my long-felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England.”
Welby had faced pressure to step down since the Nov. 7 release of a 253-page report detailing the independent investigation led by Keith Makin. The Makin report documented “prolific… READ MORE