Archbishop of Canterbury Steps Down Amid Child Abuse Scandal

Archbishop Justin Welby, the most senior cleric of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, announced his resignation on Tuesday following intense criticism over failures to address child abuse within the church. The decision comes after an investigation revealed that Welby did not promptly report allegations of physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps.

Welby described his resignation as being in the “best interest of the Church of England.” The move follows findings from a 2022 independent inquiry into child sexual abuse that highlighted how a “culture of deference” within the Church and perceived support for abusers created an environment where scrutiny of wrongdoing was avoided.

The Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, deemed Welby’s position “untenable” and supported a petition submitted to the church’s General Synod urging his departure. The Archbishop faced mounting pressure after the publication of the investigation’s results last Thursday, sparking widespread outrage over the church’s lack of accountability.