Pressure grows on Justin Welby to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury for ignoring sex abuse by the Church of England’s most prolific abuser who targeted more than 100 children and young men

Ministers have launched a petition calling on the Archbishop of Canterbury to resign over his disregard for sex abuse – and a top bishop has refused to defend him.

Archbishop Justin Welby admitted last week that he “personally failed” the countless victims of the sexualized abuse of evangelist lawyer John Smyth by failing to report him to police in 2013, when his crimes were clear.

Critics say the failure freed the prolific sadist to continue abusing children after fleeing Britain into Christian camps in southern Africa until his death in 2018.

The archbishop worked in the ‘Bash’ camps in England, where Smyth nursed his victims forty years ago.

And more and more clergy say apologies are insufficient, following a resounding report from the Church of England last week that singled out the archbishop for failing to report the “most prolific child abuser” in its ranks to police in 2013.

Mr Smyth’s ‘abhorrent’ abuse of more than 100 children and young men was hidden in the church for years, according to the independent investigation.

The so-called Makin Report also said it was ‘unlikely’ that Archbishop Welby was unaware of concerns about Smyth from so long ago in 1981.

An independent review published earlier this week said John Smyth’s (pictured) abuse of more than 100 children and young men was hidden in the church for years.

Yesterday, an online petition calling for his resignation reached more than 800 signatories.

The petition was launched by Vicar of St Mary’s, Kilburn, and Labor councilor Rev Robert Thompson, who said: ‘Given his role in allowing abuse to continue, we believe that his continued existence as Archbishop of Canterbury is no longer sustainable.

“It is with sadness that we believe there is no alternative to his immediate resignation if the process of change and healing is to begin now.”

As signatures and online attacks on the bishop by clergy increased, the Church of England’s leading bishop on safeguarding, Bishop of Stepney Dr. Joanne Grenfell, yesterday on BBC Radio 4’s flagship religious news programme, Sunday.

To the surprise of veteran presenter Ed Stourton, she failed several times to say that the archbishop should remain in his post in the wake of the scandal.

When asked directly by the broadcaster whether or not Archbishop Welby should resign, Bishop Grenfell said: ‘I greatly appreciate the Archbishop’s sincere apology for what he could and should have done differently in 2013.

“I also recognize his commitment during his time in office to have really tried to change security. I think there’s still a lot to do, but I do think this builds on some of the changes we’ve seen over the last decade.”

The petition was launched by the Vicar of St Mary’s, Kilburn and Labor councilor Rev Robert Thompson

The archbishop apologized on behalf of the Church in 2017 when the allegations became public

He also personally apologized to Smyth’s victims in 2021 after meeting them

Asked why she couldn’t give a clear yes or no to whether the archbishop should resign, the bishop said: “I support the archbishop’s apology, I’m glad he made it.”

She added that, apart from the sexualized abuse at the heart of the case, “I fully understand that this is also about the choice to cover it up, and the inability to reveal what should have been revealed, and I think absolutely that people must take responsibility for this. ‘

Broadcaster Giles Fraser, known for his position as a panellist on Radio 4’s The Moral Maze, said in a tweet: ‘I was beaten at school like many of Smyth’s victims were. Going to bed with blood-soaked underwear night after night.

“Saying that I am angry about the cover-up in the church is not enough.

“I think it seems increasingly unlikely that the Archbishop of Canterbury can remain in office, given the growing chorus of calls for his resignation among his own clergy.”

The vicar of Charlbury in Oxfordshire, the Revd Fergus Butler Gallie, wrote in an open letter to the archbishop posted online: ‘We will continue to pray for you, but I myself will pray that you resign.

“The things you did and didn’t do caused so much damage [which] you may never be healed…if you don’t go because of your own shyness or shame, out of love for God and Him alone.’

Minister of Christ Church, New Malden, south-west London, Stephen Kuhrt, wrote in an online article: ‘Now is not the time for the classic Anglican fudge, deciding to retire in the coming weeks.

‘He should resign specifically based on his response to the John Smyth case and refuse the usual peerage to ex-archbishops.’

And after it was pointed out that Archbishop Welby had suspended Bishop of Lincoln Christopher Lowson in 2019 for mishandling safeguarding, Father Chris Phillips of All Saints, Benhilton, in south London, suggested that a formal complaint or motion of no confidence could be drawn up.

The archbishop said last week that he had “thought a lot” about resigning, but claimed that “senior colleagues” had advised him against doing so.

Last night a spokeswoman for the Archbishop said: ‘The Archbishop reiterates his horror at the extent of John Smyth’s blatant abuse, as reflected in his public apology.

“He has apologized deeply for both his own failures and omissions, and for the wickedness, cover-up and abuse of the wider church.

As he has said, he was not aware of or suspected the allegations before he was informed in 2013 – which is why, now that he has thought about it, he has no intention of resigning.

He hopes the Makin Review supports the ongoing work of building a safer church here and around the world.