A leading Anglican body critical of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby, has issued a statement following his resignation after failing to timely report serial child abuser John Smyth QC to police - saying his willingness to step down shows evidence of taking responsibility.
Welby announced his resignation on November 12, following concerns about his handling of a sex abuse case involving the now-deceased Smyth, who sexually abused countless boys and young men in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Makin Review, recently published, looked into the matters of Smyth’s abuse, and concluded that the serial abuser could have been stopped sooner if Welby had formally reported concerns disclosed to him a decade ago.
An independent review cited Smyth to be the most prolific serial abuser ever associated with the Church of England. He died aged 77 in Cape Town, South Africa in 2018, after being accused of abusing boys at his home in Winchester, England, whom he worked with at a Christian summer camp in the county of Dorset in the 1970s and 1980s, as reported by Christian Daily International.
Gafcon, the Anglican movement created to “retain and restore the Bible to the heart of the Anglican Communion” issued a statement two days after Welby’s resignation, written by The Most Revd. Dr. Laurent Mbanda, Chairman of the Gafcon Primates Council and Archbishop & Primate of Rwanda (EAR), and Bishop of Gasabo.
Mbanda, acknowledging that Gafcon has previously criticized Welby’s leadership, spoke of sadness at the news of Welby’s resignation, calling it not an occasion for celebration but “for grief and self-reflection.”
“The presence of child sexual abuse in the church of God is a pernicious evil, which has brought devastating, long-term effects upon survivors and their families,” wrote Mbanda.
“Yet their trauma is only exacerbated by negligence or inaction in pursuing and prosecuting perpetrators for their crimes. Such failures to act also grieve the heart of God and bring shame upon his church.”
The resignation is appreciated by Gafcon, according to Mbanda, who said: “it shows evidence of his desire to take responsibility for his own lack of action in investigating the allegations against John Smyth, which came to light in 2013. While his own admission of regret and remorse is welcome, the past cannot be undone.”
Mbanda pointed out that leadership for anyone had challenges and this truth is relevant for the church of God.
“Christian leaders are called to be shepherds of the flock. Yet, none of us is perfect, as we all make mistakes, but owning our failures is also the mark of good leadership. While some errors of judgment have greater consequences than others, the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, knows our frailty and forgives all who are truly penitent. He also cares for the downcast and broken, as he cares for those who have been abused.”
Mbanda finished by pledging prayers by Gafcon for Welby and his family at this difficult time.
“We also pray for all those who have experienced sexual abuse by false shepherds in the church of God. May they know the peace of God that passes understanding and that heals all our infirmities.”
Gafcon previously opposed Welby after he suggested on “The rest is politics” podcast that both heterosexual and homosexual people could receive prayers of blessing as long as they were living out their sexuality in a committed relationship. The British podcast and television series is hosted by Alastair Campbell, the ex spokesman and Downing Street Press Secretary for former British Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, and also Rory Stewart, Conservative politician, diplomat and writer.
“All sexual activity should be within a committed relationship and whether it’s straight or gay,” said Welby on the podcast, as quoted by Gafcon and before his resignation.
“In other words, we’re not giving up on the idea that sex is within marriage or civil partnership. We’ve put forward a proposal that where people have been through a civil partnership or a same-sex marriage, equal marriage under the 2014 Act, they should be able to come along to their local, to a church, and have a service of prayer and blessing for them in their lives together.”
On November 1 (2024) Gafcon issued a statement rebuking Welby’s words, calling it a “clear breach of Holy Scripture” because the only context for sexual intimacy, according to the Bible, is between a man and woman in marriage.
“While he may claim not to have changed the doctrine of marriage, the Archbishop of Canterbury has demonstrably changed the doctrine of sin, by promoting the sanctification of sin by means of a divine blessing,” read a Gafcon statement at the time.
Gafcon also opined that Welby’s comments were “in clear breach” of Resolution I.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference, which rejected, “homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture.” The Anglican group pointed out that Welby himself “as recently as 2022” declared this to be the teaching of the Anglican Communion, including the Church of England.
Lambeth Palace confirmed on Nov. 20 that Welby finishes his official duties on January 6 (2025), with the Archbishop of York standing-in until a replacement is decided.
