Once again, we find ourselves aghast at the spectacle of moral hypocrisy emanating from none other than the Archbishop of Canterbury himself, Justin Welby.
The man who has built a career on apologising for Britain’s supposed sins and pandering to the woke brigade now stands exposed in a scandal that is anything but virtuous.
Let’s not mince words here: an independent report has now laid it bare — John Smyth’s ‘abhorrent’ abuse of over 100 children and young men was shamefully concealed by the church for decades. And now, at long last, we have the Archbishop of Canterbury himself, Justin Welby, finally conceding that he was aware of these horrific allegations… BUT… he chose not to report them.
Yes, you read that right — 40 years ago, concerns about Smyth’s monstrous behaviour were brought to Welby’s attention, yet he kept his mouth shut and looked the other way.
It is only now, after being cornered by the facts, Welby is grudgingly admitting to his ‘personal failure’ and issuing belated apologies to the victims of what can only be described as the Church of England’s most prolific predator. It’s a mea culpa that’s come far too late, after years of silence and evasion.
How can it be that the leader of the Church of England, our supposed moral compass, admits to failing to report child abuse and believes he can simply carry on as if nothing happened? Something is deeply rotten within the Church of England when shepherds, who are meant to guard the flock, turn a blind eye to the wolves.
Something is deeply rotten within the Church of England when shepherds, who are meant to guard the flock, turn a blind eye to the wolves.
This week’s report reveals that Welby had been alerted to Smyth’s misconduct by a rector as far back as the 1980s. Then again in 2013 he was provided with a comprehensive account of Smyth’s abuse. Yet, his failure to notify the police at any time, allowed Smyth who chaired the Iwerne Christian camp, to continue his predatory behaviour unchecked until his death.
Justin Welby himself had been a dormitory officer at Iwerne Christian camp during the mid-1970s but insisted he had ‘no contact’ with the camp after relocating to Paris in 1978, maintaining that he was completely uninvolved until his return to the UK in 1983 (the period during which abuse is alleged to have taken place). However, Welby was forced to backtrack on his story after new evidence came to light revealing that he had, in fact, returned to the UK in 1979 to deliver a talk at the camp — an event which was also attended by Smyth himself. Lying is also not a good look for an Archbishop.
When finally cornered this week with all the facts in the report, Welby reveals he has toyed with the idea of stepping down. But fear not, dear flock, he is heroically choosing to stay on. How utterly magnanimous of him, don’t you think? The man who never tires of lecturing us all on the lofty heights of moral integrity somehow believes that his own egregious failings warrant nothing more than a bit of hand-wringing and the occasional apology.
Let’s also never forget: this is the same man who has positioned himself as the guardian of justice and safeguarding in our Church, and yet, when it comes to his own grievous errors clings to his mitre like a barnacle to a rock. Can you imagine the head of any other institution, in any other field, getting away with this? No, they would have been unceremoniously booted out, sent packing with a firm kick to their rear, and rightly so. But Welby? He remains, defiant, as if somehow the rules of accountability don’t apply to him. Yet of course he’s never one to shy away from criticising others for perceived failings.
It’s hypocrisy on stilts, dear readers, and the British public deserve far better.
Who remembers the George Carey abuse case? Welby was the first to demand Carey step down as assistant honorary bishop of Oxford, after the Moira Gibb report found that senior figures in the Church of England colluded for over 20 years with sexual predator Bishop Peter Ball. But yet here we are, the very same Justin Welby who called for the resignation of George Carey over alleged mishandling of abuse cases, now clings to his own position with all the sanctimony of a self-righteous martyr. Do as I say, not as I do – is that your gospel, Archbishop?
Do as I say, not as I do – is that your gospel, Archbishop?
If Justin Welby truly believes in accountability, then it’s high time he swallowed a hearty dose of his own medicine. No more weeping into the cassock, no more crocodile tears! The British people deserve better than this sanctimonious pontificating from a man who has presided over a grievous breach of trust.
He should step down—immediately, unreservedly, without another sermon or sanctimonious sigh. For if he has any shred of Christian integrity left, he will know that the only path to redemption is through genuine humility, not hollow gestures.
Britain deserves a Church that stands for something – a Church that is the moral bedrock of our nation, not one that crumbles under the weight of its own hypocrisy. It’s time to restore faith, to rebuild the trust that Welby and his ilk have so recklessly squandered.
Archbishop, do the right thing. Step aside. For only then can the Church of England embark on the long road to reclaiming the moral authority that it once held so proudly. Enough is enough. The British public deserves a Church of England that it can believe in once more.
By Claire Bullivant
Photo:Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. Photo by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0.
