The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby — head of the Church of England and leader of the global Anglican Communion — resigned on Tuesday after an investigation found he had failed to notify civil authorities about physical and sexual child abuse when he became aware of it.
“It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatizing period between 2013 and 2024,” Welby said in a statement. “I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve.”
Welby, 68, headed the Anglican Communion, which includes more than 85 million people in 165 countries, including the Episcopal Church in the United States. He had held the position since 2013.
Running now through Dec. 31, NewsMatch will match your donations up to $1,000. Your generosity will help keep Religion Unplugged going in 2025 and beyond. You can donate here.
An independent report, released on Nov. 7, found that from July 2013, the Church of England knew “at the highest level” about John Smyth, who sexually, psychologically and physically abused about 30 boys and young men in the U.K. and 85 in Africa over a period of five decades.
The report, commissioned by the Church of England, found a “worrying pattern of deference” to Smyth and concluded that “a serious crime was covered up.”
Following days where bishops had called on him to resign, Welby said the report “has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth.”
“I hope this decision makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change and our profound commitment to creating a safer church. As I step down I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse,” he added. “The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England. For nearly 12 years I have struggled to introduce improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done.”
Welby’s resignation marks the first time that an Anglican archbishop had resigned over an abuse scandal.
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the church's second-ranking cleric, called Welby’s resignation "the right and honourable thing to do.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he "respects” Welby's decision.
"His thoughts first and foremost remain with all the victims,” the spokesman added.
Welby’s successor has yet to be named.
A new archbishop will be nominated by King Charles on the advice of the prime minister, who in turn takes advice from the Crown Nominations Commission.
The commission is a Church of England body and not one of the crown. The prime minister is not obliged to accept its advice.
The commission — made up of 16 members — agree on two nominees. One of them is made archbishop.
Clemente Lisi is the executive editor of Religion Unplugged. He previously served as deputy head of news at the New York Daily News and a longtime reporter at The New York Post. Follow him on X @ClementeLisi.