Scandal and Crisis in the Anglican Church

A powerful scandal has hit the Anglican Church and ended with an unexpected decision: Archbishop of Canterbury Submitted resignation letter. Justin WelbyThe supreme authority of the Church of England for eleven years, answering only to King Charles III and directing historic events in the United Kingdom, has announced that he is leaving office due to the pressure of the lawyer who handled the sexual abuse case starring John Smith.

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An independent report was published last week that reported that the aforementioned lawyer, who was a volunteer at the church’s children’s camp in the 70s and 80s, abused 130 minors. A situation occurred when John Smith was in Zimbabwe and South Africa and covered the church for decades. As a result of this document seeing the light of day, 1,500 members of the Anglican Church called for the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Statement of Resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury

The prelate made his decision public this Tuesday, November 12, after speaking a few hours earlier with Carlos III through an intermediary. The Archbishop of Canterbury shared a statement that you can read:

“Having sought His Majesty the King’s kind permission, I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury. The Makin Review magazine exposed the long-running conspiracy of silence surrounding the horrific abuse of John Smith. When I was informed in 2013 and I was. As the police were informed, I mistakenly believed that a suitable solution would be made

It is very clear that I will have to take personal and institutional responsibility for a long and traumatic period between 2013 and 2024. It is my duty to respect my constitutional and religious responsibilities, so the exact time frame will be determined after a review of the necessary obligations, including those of England and the Anglican Communion.

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I hope this decision makes clear that the Church of England takes seriously the need for change and our deep commitment to creating a safe church. As I leave office, I do so with sadness and with all victims and victims of abuse.

The past few days have renewed my deep and lingering sense of shame at the Church of England’s historic safeguarding failures. For nearly twelve years I struggled to introduce improvement. Others must judge what has been done. In the meantime, I will fulfill my promise to meet the victims. I will delegate my other current security responsibilities until the necessary risk assessment process is completed.

I am asking everyone to keep my wife Caroline and my children in your prayers. They have been my most important support throughout my ministry and I will be forever grateful for their sacrifice. Caroline led the Spouses Program during the Lambeth Conference and has traveled tirelessly through conflict zones supporting the most vulnerable, women and those who care for them locally.

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I believe that walking away is best for the Church of England, which I love deeply and which I have the honor to serve. I pray that this decision leads us back to the love of Jesus Christ for each of us. Above all, my deepest commitment is to the person of Jesus Christ, my Savior and my God; bearer of the sins and burdens of the world and the hope of every man.”

Its relevant role in the historical moment

The Archbishop of Canterbury has been part of historic events such as the funeral of Elizabeth II, which took place on September 19, 2022; and the coronation of Charles III, an event he officiated on May 6, 2023. Both events took place at Westminster Abbey in London and were attended by representatives of monarchies from around the world.

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A member of the House of Lords and the son of an aide to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, he has officiated at important family celebrations for Windsor such as the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle; Baptism of Princesses George, Charlotte and Louise; and the baptism of Archie Harrison.

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From working in an oil company to tragedy that brought him closer to religion

Born in Middlesex in 1956, Justin Welby combined his religious life with the large family he created. In the mid-1970s he met Caroline Eaton at Cambridge University and they married in 1979. The couple have six children, Tim, Peter, Eleanor, Catherine, Hannah and Johanna. The latter died in a traffic accident in 1983 at the age of just seven months. That tragedy became “a constant reminder of the uncertainty of life” and religion began to take on a greater importance in their lives.

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Contrary to what one might think, Justin Welby’s career did not begin in religion. He was a top executive and enterprise treasurer of the French oil company Elf, a prospective company with operations in parts of Africa and the North Sea. During those years he was part of the Brompton (London) Holy Trinity Congregation until the call to religion became incompatible with the world of business. In 1989 he completely abandoned his business side to devote himself to theology, and in 1993 he was ordained a priest.

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He was appointed Bishop of Durham in 2011 and was strongly nominated to become Archbishop of Canterbury just a year later. He himself commented at the time that it seemed like a joke and that it seemed impossible to be elected because he had only been bishop for so long, but in 2013 Elizabeth II confirmed his appointment. Some of his ideas have caused much controversy, such as his strong defense that women can become priests, and he has introduced technological innovations into the church such as the digital Ten Commandments.

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