Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has openly admitted that he “got it wrong” in handling a devastating abuse scandal that shook the Church of England.
In an upcoming BBC interview, the 68-year-old cleric, who resigned last year, reflected on his failures after an independent report revealed the church had covered up abuses dating back to the 1970s. The scandal involved John Smyth, an influential lawyer who allegedly abused over 130 boys and young men at evangelical camps.
Welby acknowledged the overwhelming nature of the crisis, saying, “Every day more cases were coming across the desk… but as Archbishop, there are no excuses.”
The case rocked the UK, leading to widespread calls for reform within the church, which has struggled with declining attendance and growing public scrutiny.
For now, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell is serving as interim leader while King Charles III oversees the selection of Welby’s permanent successor. However, Cottrell himself has faced calls to step down due to past mishandling of a separate abuse case.
