The Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned, days after a damning report into a prolific child abuser associated with the Church of England
In his resignation statement, Justin Welby says the report “exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth”
He says when he was told in 2013 that police had been notified, “I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow”
“It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024,” he says
Smyth was not brought to justice before his death in South Africa in 2018.
Choosing the next Archbishop takes months – and no one applies
The Archbishop of Canterbury is head of the Church of England but they also have a wider constitutional role. The process for choosing Justin Welby’s replacement reflects that.
A nationwide consultation will be held asking people in and outside the Church of England what they want from the next archbishop.
That is expected to take several months.
Church and government officials will summarise those views, along with feedback from the Church representatives in Canterbury – the area the archbishop technically oversees. That information will form the basis of creating a longlist of suitable candidates invited for interview.
No one applies for the role. Those chosen for interview don’t have to be from the Church of England and they don’t have to be bishops, although they are likely to be.
The candidates will then be interviewed by a committee of 17 people. The chair is appointed by the prime minister and the members will include representatives from around the global Anglican Communion, the General Synod, or parliament, as well as at least one bishop.
At least two-thirds of the committee members must agree before a decision is made.
We don’t have the timings for Welby’s departure but the process of choosing his successor is likely to take at least six months.
