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Archbishop of Canterbury Resigns Over Christian Camp Abuse

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Archbishop of Canterbury Resigns
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned “in sorrow” on Tuesday.

Archbishop of Canterbury resigned on Tuesday, claiming he failed to oversee a thorough inquiry into allegations of abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps decades ago.

Justin Welby, the senior bishop of the Church of England and spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide, faced calls to quit after a report last week revealed that he had taken insufficient action to stop a man characterized as the Church’s most frequent serial abuser.

“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 said in a news release.

“I hope this decision demonstrates how seriously the Church of England takes the need for reform and our deep commitment to building a safer church. As I step down, I do so with grief for all victims and survivors of abuse.”

Welby’s term spanned a decade of considerable change, during which he had to navigate disagreements over homosexual rights and women clergy between liberal churches, primarily in North America and Britain, and their conservative counterparts, particularly in Africa.

The Anglican churches in African countries such as Uganda and Nigeria will likely celebrate Welby’s resignation, having stated last year that they no longer trusted him. His successor’s key responsibilities will be to unite the more divided global Anglican Church and reverse a fivefold decrease in church attendance in Britain since 2019.

Archbishop resigned after Makin Report.

Welby resigned five days after the independent Makin Report singled him out for criticism of his treatment of abuse complaints dating back to the 1970s. According to the investigation, John Smyth, a British lawyer, subjected over 100 boys and young men to “brutal and horrific” physical and sexual abuse over 40 years.

According to the investigation, Smyth beat some victims with a cane for up to 800 strokes and provided diapers to absorb the bleeding. He would then drape himself over his victims, occasionally kissing them on the neck or back.

Smyth chaired the Iwerne Trust, which financed Christian camps in Dorset, England, and Welby worked as a dormitory officer there before becoming an ordained minister.

According to the study, Smyth moved to Africa in 1984 and continued to torture people until shortly before he died in 2018.

In 2013, the Church of England was fully aware of sexual abuse allegations at the camps. According to the study, Welby became aware of the claims at least in the same year, months after becoming archbishop.

Recommends two candidates

If the claims had been brought to the police in 2013, there may have been a thorough investigation, and Smyth could have faced prosecution before his death, according to the study. The Makin Report was commissioned in 2019.

Welby apologized for “failures and omissions” but stated that he had “no idea or suspicion” of the claims before 2013. The report stated that this was improbable and accused him of failing to uphold his “personal and moral responsibility” to conduct a thorough investigation.

Church protocols for appointing a new archbishop of Canterbury involve a committee of clerics and a chair, selected by the British prime minister, to recommend two candidates to him.

Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich, and Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford, are expected to follow Welby and become the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.

Usher supports homosexual rights and has been outspoken on the need to address climate change.

Francis-Dehqani was born in Iran and has spoken about her brother’s assassination following the Iranian Revolution. She would be the first woman to hold the position.

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Geoff Brown is a seasoned staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. With his sharp writing skills he consistently delivers high-quality, engaging content that resonates with readers. Geoff's' articles are well-researched, informative, and written in a clear, concise style that keeps audiences hooked. His ability to craft compelling narratives while seamlessly incorporating relevant keywords has made him a valuable asset to the VORNews team.

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