LONDON — The tenure of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby officially concludes on Monday, following his resignation two months earlier. This decision came in the wake of an inquiry that revealed his failure to promptly inform law enforcement about ongoing abuse perpetrated by a volunteer at Christian summer camps upon learning of it. Welby, who serves as the leader of the Church of England and the spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, will ceremonially relinquish his bishop’s crozier, marking the close of his ministry. During this transitional phase, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, will assume most of Welby’s official responsibilities as the Church embarks on the lengthy task of identifying a new leader.
Welby announced his resignation in November after an independent investigation into John Smyth, a well-known attorney accused of sexually, psychologically, and physically abusing approximately 30 boys and young men within the UK, along with an additional 85 victims in Africa from the 1970s until his passing in 2018. The comprehensive 251-page report from the Makin Review revealed that Welby did not report Smyth to the authorities when he first learned of the abuse in August 2013, shortly after he assumed the role of Archbishop. Had he acted sooner, it is likely that Smyth’s abuse could have been halted earlier.
Welby’s initial reluctance to resign sparked significant outrage, illustrating the ongoing demand for accountability within the upper echelons of the church. This resignation comes against a backdrop of historical sexual abuse allegations that have plagued the Church of England. A 2022 report by the Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse indicated that a culture favoring alleged offenders over their victims contributed to an environment in the Church where abusers could conceal their actions with impunity.
The Archbishop of Canterbury serves as the symbolic leader of the Anglican Communion, which consists of over 85 million members across 165 nations. Although each national church has its leaders, the Archbishop of Canterbury holds the distinction of being first among equals. The process to appoint Welby’s successor is anticipated to take several months, with an announcement regarding the new archbishop possibly occurring in the autumn.
British media is already considering potential leading candidates for the role, one of whom is Helen-Ann Hartley, the Bishop of Newcastle. Hartley has been vocal about the urgent need for improvements in the church’s safeguarding measures, and she was the only bishop to publicly call for Welby’s resignation while also criticizing Cottrell for his approach to abusive situations within the church. Other notable candidates include Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London and a former nurse, and Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich, who is involved in environmental efforts as a beekeeping advocate.
The selection process for the next Archbishop will commence with the Crown Nominations Commission, which is responsible for nominating candidates for this position along with other episcopal roles in England. Once the commission identifies its preferred candidate, the name will be submitted to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will ensure the nominee is willing to accept the role before presenting it to King Charles III for final approval.
The commission is composed of 17 voting members, which includes the Archbishop of York as well as representatives from both clergy and the laity, alongside a chair appointed by the Prime Minister. Additionally, it will include members from the Anglican Communion’s churches across the globe, spanning five regions: Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and Oceania.
