The Church of England is entering a tumultuous phase as Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby steps down on Monday, marking the end of his tenure amid a damaging abuse cover-up scandal. Welby’s resignation follows an independent inquiry revealing his failure to act decisively against John Smyth, a notorious abuser linked to Christian summer camps. Smyth, who died in 2018, had a trail of abuse allegations spanning decades.
Welby, 69, cited “personal and institutional responsibility” in his resignation announcement last November. He will officially conclude his duties by the Feast of Epiphany, leaving behind a fractured Church grappling with dwindling faith and internal tensions, particularly on LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the Church’s second-highest-ranking cleric, will assume Welby’s duties temporarily. However, Cottrell himself is under scrutiny after a BBC investigation revealed he allowed a priest, David Tudor, to remain in ministry despite knowing the Church barred him from being alone with children. Cottrell later suspended Tudor and apologised for not acting sooner. In October, the Church permanently banned Tudor from ministry.
The Church’s reputation, already battered by declining public trust, was further tarnished during Christmas, overshadowing its festivities. Cottrell, in his Christmas Day sermon, acknowledged the gravity of the scandals, urging the Church to “kneel in penitence.”
The crisis has raised concerns about governance and safeguarding. Linda Woodhead, head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at King’s College London, warned of the potential consequences of lacking an archbishop at the helm. “This creates a worrying vulnerability, particularly in safeguarding, which could spiral into broader governance issues,” she said.
The selection process for Welby’s successor could take up to six months, leaving the Church to navigate its challenges under interim leadership. Meanwhile, calls for institutional reform grow louder as the Church confronts its past while struggling to maintain relevance in an increasingly secular Britain.
With declining membership and persistent scandals, the Church faces an uphill battle to restore its credibility and reaffirm its role in modern society.
