Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby is facing growing pressure to resign after an independent review found he failed to inform the police about serial abuse by John Smyth, a volunteer at Christian summer camps. The abuse, which spanned five decades, affected at least 115 victims, primarily young boys, both in the UK and in Africa.
Following the release of the report on Thursday, members of the Church of England’s General Synod began circulating a petition calling for Welby’s resignation. By late morning, the petition had garnered over 1,800 signatures. The report concluded that Welby, upon learning of Smyth’s abuse in 2013, did not act swiftly enough to report the crimes to authorities.
Welby, who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013, acknowledged last week that he failed to ensure the allegations were pursued with the necessary urgency. However, he has rejected calls for his resignation, maintaining that his actions were in line with church procedures at the time. The scandal centers around Smyth, who abused boys and young men in the UK and Africa over the course of several decades. He died in 2018 without facing trial for his actions.
As the church faces continued criticism, the debate over Welby’s future intensifies, with some calling for accountability for the mishandling of such serious allegations.
