The Church of England’s deputy lead bishop for safeguarding has said it is “not a safe institution” in some ways – and that others may need to step down following the Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation.
Bishop of Birkenhead Julie Conalty made the remarks a day after Justin Welby, who had been the Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013, stepped down following the publication of a report which found the Church covered up sexual abuse by John Smyth – a barrister who led Christian summer camps.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4 Today, Ms Conalty said she couldn’t guarantee there is not abuse still going on in the Church.
“We still have this institutional problem where we are not putting victims and survivors at the centre. In some ways, we are not a safe institution,” she said.
She added she believes Mr Welby has “done the right thing” – but his resignation is “not going to solve the problem”.
“It is frustrating for me because in many ways we have been working really hard at making churches safer places. No institution, nothing, can ever be totally safe but there has been loads of really good work going on,” she said.
“This is about institutional changes, our culture and a systemic failure, so there must be more that we need to do.
“Very possibly some other people should go. I’m not here to name names.”
It comes after an independent review found Smyth, who abused as many as 130 boys and young men at Christian summer camps, could have been brought to justice a decade ago if Mr Welby had reported him to the authorities in 2013.
Smyth died aged 75 in Cape Town in 2018 while still under investigation by Hampshire Police.
Mr Welby had been under pressure to quit following the Makin Review – with more than 1,500 members of the Church, including some of its General Synod committee, signing a petition calling on him to go.
His resignation was welcomed by Smyth’s victims, senior Church of England figures and a cabinet minister.
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the second most senior figure in the Church, said Mr Welby was right to resign for “institutional failings”.
When asked if other bishops should resign, Mr Cottrell told the BBC: “Those who actively covered this up (should resign), which was not bishops.”
Read more:
Who is Justin Welby?
What happens now he has resigned?
Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, the only bishop who had publicly called for the Archbishop of Canterbury to resign, said Mr Welby was “right” to step down but it “does not solve the Church’s profound failure” on safeguarding.
The Bishop of Newcastle noted while some progress has been made in changing the safeguarding culture in the Church, “sadly the progress made by many is being undermined by the arrogance of a few”.
On Tuesday, Joanne Grenfell, the Bishop of Stepney, told Sky News’ Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge she felt “deep shame and sorrow” over the Church of England’s history of abuse.
The Church of England’s safeguarding lead said: “It’s really clear that we failed by allowing that abuse to happen and by allowing it to be covered up… It’s hard, but I can’t begin to imagine what it feels like to be a victim or survivor of abuse.”
Richard Gittins, one of Smyth’s victims, also welcomed Mr Welby’s resignation.
“It now shows that he’s taken some action. And I think it also means that the focus can be turned on other people who knew and haven’t done anything about it,” he said.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said this morning it was “absolutely the right decision” for Mr Welby to resign.
He added: “What I would say – and I’m speaking as an Anglican, not as a government minister – to other leaders of my Church is that don’t think that one head rolling solves the problem.
“There are deep and fundamental issues of not just practice, but culture on safeguarding, that need to be taken seriously.”
What did the report find?
The Makin Review said Smyth subjected boys and young men in the UK and Africa to traumatic physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks, permanently marking their lives.
The abuse is said to have taken place across five decades.
The report concluded he might have been brought to justice had Mr Welby formally reported it to police soon after he was appointed as archbishop 11 years ago.
Mr Welby knew Smyth having worked at some of the Christian summer camps he ran in the 1970s.
The Makin Review said there was no evidence they had “maintained any significant contact” after that.
Mr Welby said he had “no idea or suspicion of the abuse” before 2013.