Archbishop Justin Welby resigns amid pressure over his handling of abuse allegations
London: So, Justin Welby has officially stepped down as the Archbishop of Canterbury. It’s been quite a ride, especially with all the drama surrounding the abuse scandal. He’s been under fire for how he handled things, and it finally caught up with him.
It all started with a review that came out, pointing fingers at how the Church dealt with allegations against John Smyth, a notorious abuser. The report said that if Welby had acted back in 2013, Smyth might have faced justice much sooner. That’s a pretty heavy accusation.
Welby expressed his deep regret, saying he had no clue about the abuse before 2013. He admitted he didn’t do enough to investigate it after it came to light. Even though he thought about resigning earlier, he decided to stick around for a bit longer, but the pressure just kept building.
Then, things got really intense. A petition with over 1,500 signatures popped up, urging him to resign. The Bishop of Newcastle even went public, saying his position was “untenable.” That’s a strong statement!
After a few days of mounting pressure, Welby finally asked the King for permission to resign. He said he felt a profound sense of shame over the Church’s past failures in safeguarding. It was clear he believed stepping down was in the best interest of the Church he loved.
As he wrapped up his duties, he faced more scrutiny. Some church officials were also being investigated for their roles in the scandal. It’s been a tough time for the Church of England, and Welby’s departure marks a significant moment in its history.
His last official day is set for January 6, and it’s safe to say that this chapter has been anything but smooth. The Church has a lot of healing to do, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens next.
