Justin Welby should not have resigned

I must respectfully disagree with calls for the Archbishop's resignation over the handling of the John Smyth abuse case, and mourn the loss of a great church leader.

While the failures to properly report historical abuse are deeply concerning, we must consider the full context of Justin Welby's responsibilities and actions when he came to know of the abuse cases. He wasn't sitting listening to Spotify when someone came to him with the year's only news. When he became Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013, he faced an overwhelming array of challenges: renewing prayer and religious life throughout the church, seeking reconciliation within a deeply divided Anglican Communion, and encouraging evangelism. These were monumental responsibilities that demanded his full attention and energy. Additionally, 2013 saw him undertake an extraordinary 96-day pilgrimage to visit every province of the Anglican Communion, which was when I met him. He was calm, determined and icily competent.

His gruelling schedule surely left little time for addressing decades-old allegations, especially when Welby believed proper authorities had already been notified. We must also consider that in 2013, societal understanding of historical abuse cases was still evolving. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which highlighted systemic failures in handling such cases, did not publish its findings until 2022. ?

Here are a few of Justin Welby's achievements:

1. He successfully navigated the Church of England through the process of allowing women to become bishops
2. He led a successful Lambeth Conference of global Anglican leaders, helping to heal some fractures over issues like sexuality
3. He spoke out on moral issues such as poverty, refugees, gambling, climate change, and peacemaking
4. He engaged positively with leaders of other faiths to build relationships and promote interfaith dialogue
5. He prioritized evangelism, prayer, and reconciliation as key focuses of his ministry
6. He took a proactive approach to visiting Anglican provinces globally, including those his predecessor never visited
7. He advocated for church schools to play a role in community cohesion and reconciliation, especially in diverse areas
8. He helped combat homophobic bullying in church schools
9. He led the Church of England's efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030

None of this completely excuses the failure to properly report abuse allegations. The Makin Review concludes that Welby "could and should have" formally reported Smyth to authorities in 2013. This was a serious error in judgment that has caused additional pain to survivors.

Yet we must ask what tangible benefit Welby's resignation will bring to abuse survivors or the church. His departure will not undo past mistakes or improve future safeguarding practices. Instead, it will further destabilizing church leadership at a critical time. Welby has demonstrated a commitment to improving safeguarding practices and supporting survivors during his tenure. His experience and dedication to reform could be valuable in continuing to address these systemic issues. Worse, his resignation in response to public pressure reduces the position of Archbishop to something like the CEO of a corporation - instead of being answerable to God, the Archbishop has become answerable only to the court of public opinion.

Many of us have a deep dislike of the modern tendency to act on allegations rather than waiting for evidence to tested. Ultimately, while the failures in the Smyth case are deeply regrettable, they must be weighed against Welby's broader record of service and leadership. The calls for resignation have oversimplified a complex situation and do not serve the best interests of the church or victims of abuse. They play to our baser instincts such as a desire for revenge and a need for a scapegoat. It is regrettable that so many of the clergy have expressed their horror at the abuse by craven calls for the resignation of their own leader.