UK: Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over abuse scandal

The Anglican Church's apical cleric, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, announced his resignation Tuesday aft facing mounting unit to measurement down implicit his handling of an maltreatment scandal that dated backmost decades.

Welby had faced days of increasing unit to discontinue aft the autarkic probe found that successful 2013 helium failed to archer constabulary astir decades of serial carnal and intersexual maltreatment by a unpaid astatine Christian summertime camps.

"It is precise wide that I indispensable instrumentality idiosyncratic and organization work for the agelong and re-traumatising play betwixt 2013 and 2024," Welby admitted successful a statement.

"I anticipation this determination makes wide however earnestly the Church of England understands the request for alteration and our profound committedness to creating a safer church. As I measurement down I bash truthful successful sorrow with each victims and survivors of abuse," Archbishop said, adding that he was stepping down "in the champion interests of the Church of England."

Hours earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer added to the unit connected Welby erstwhile helium said Smyth's victims had been "failed very, precise badly".

What bash we cognize astir maltreatment scandal?

Last week, the autarkic Makin Report criticized Welby's handling of maltreatment allegations dating backmost to the 1970s. The study said John Smyth, a British lawyer, had subjected much than 100 boys and young men to "brutal and horrific" carnal and intersexual maltreatment implicit 40 years.

Smyth was president of the Iwerne Trust, which funded the Christian camps successful Dorset, England, wherever Welby worked arsenic a dormitory supervisor earlier helium was ordained.

The Church of England "at the highest level" knew astir the intersexual maltreatment allegations astatine the camps successful 2013, and Welby learned of the accusations astatine slightest that aforesaid year, months aft he became archbishop, according to the report.

Smyth moved to Zimbabwe successful 1984 and aboriginal moved to South Africa. He continued to maltreatment boys and young men successful Zimbabwe, and determination is grounds that the maltreatment continued successful South Africa until his decease successful August 2018, according to the report.

Smyth's maltreatment wasn't made nationalist until a 2017 probe by Britain's Channel 4 television. It prompted Hampshire constabulary to motorboat an investigation. At the clip of his death, the constabulary planned to question Smyth. They were besides preparing to extradite him.

Who tin win Welby?

Welby's tenure spanned a decennary of upheaval arsenic helium navigated disputes implicit cheery rights and women clergy betwixt wide churches, mostly successful North America and Britain, and blimpish ones, particularly successful Africa.

Anglican churches successful African countries specified arsenic Uganda and Nigeria are apt to invited Welby's resignation. They said past twelvemonth that they nary longer had assurance successful him.

Church procedures for appointing a caller Archbishop of Canterbury necessitate a sheet of clergy and a chair appointed by the British Prime Minister to enactment guardant 2 names.

Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich, and Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford, person some been tipped to win Welby and go the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.

Usher is successful favour of cheery rights and has been outspoken connected the request to tackle clime change. Francis-Dehqani was calved successful Iran and has spoken astir however her member was murdered successful the aftermath of the Iranian revolution. She would beryllium the archetypal pistillate to clasp the post.

dh/sms (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)