Was he right to go? Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has stood down from his job after a review found the Church of England covered up years of child abuse.
Archbishop resigns over abuse scandal
Was he right to go? Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has stood down from his job after a review found the Church of England covered up years of child abuse.
Justin WelbyThe Archbishop of Canterbury from 2013 to 2024. has resignedGave up a job or position by telling your employer that you are leaving. . He has been the Archbishop of CanterburyAlthough the head of the Church of England is the Queen, the Archbishop is the most senior bishop and symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican communion. since 2013. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the leader of a group of churches called the AnglicanAdherents of the Church of England (or one of its spin-off churches around the world). Communion.
Welby stepped down because a review found that the Church of England had covered up years of child abuse.
John Smyth, a ChristianA believer in Christianity, a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. with close links to the Church of England, was found in 2017 to have abused boys for many years. He was also a friend of Justin Welby.
Welby said that he was told in 2013 that the police were handling the abuse claims. He said that up until then, he had no idea of the abuse.
Welby was an unusual archbishop. He started out his working life in the oil trade.
Some say it is unfair to blame the cover-up on Welby. The review found he would reasonably have believed the police were dealing with the case in 2013.
But others say that as one of the top leaders of the Church, it is only right that Welby should go.
Was he right to go?
Yes! Welby had to go to bring back trust in the Church. He could not continue to lead. The victims of abuse and ordinary vicars needed to see justice taking place.
No! The real failure here is with the police, not Justin Welby. The Church does not need the chaos of finding a new leader at this difficult time.
Keywords
Justin Welby - The Archbishop of Canterbury from 2013 to 2024.
Resigned - Gave up a job or position by telling your employer that you are leaving.
Archbishop of Canterbury - Although the head of the Church of England is the Queen, the Archbishop is the most senior bishop and symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican communion.
Anglican - Adherents of the Church of England (or one of its spin-off churches around the world).
Christian - A believer in Christianity, a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Archbishop resigns over abuse scandal
Glossary
Justin Welby - The Archbishop of Canterbury from 2013 to 2024.
Resigned - Gave up a job or position by telling your employer that you are leaving.
Archbishop of Canterbury - Although the head of the Church of England is the Queen, the Archbishop is the most senior bishop and symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican communion.
Anglican - Adherents of the Church of England (or one of its spin-off churches around the world).
Christian - A believer in Christianity, a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.