Justin Welby, the Archbishop of the Church of England, steps down amidst controversy over his management of a sex abuse crisis.

LONDON — Justin Welby, who serves as the Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the Church of England, has stepped down following an inquiry that revealed he did not alert authorities about a volunteer involved in ongoing physical and sexual abuse at Christian summer camps as soon as he was informed.

The decision comes amid mounting pressure on Welby, particularly after the investigation’s findings sparked outrage over the perceived lack of accountability within the church’s upper echelons. Some members of the Church’s General Synod, its governing body, initiated a petition calling for Welby’s resignation, stating that he no longer held the confidence of his clergy.

In his statement, Welby expressed, “I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve.” His resignation marks a significant moment for the institution as it wrestles with issues of trust and accountability in the wake of this troubling incident.