Justin Welby’s son speaks out as CofE abuse scandal heightens calls for archbishop of York to step down

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor Monday, November 18, 2024

The Most Rev. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury on November 18, 2019, in London, England. | The Most Rev. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury on November 18, 2019, in London, England.

Tim Welby, son of the recently resigned Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, has defended his father's decision to step down amid mounting scrutiny over the Church of England's handling of abuse cases. The resignation has intensified demands for Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York, to follow suit due to his alleged neglect of multiple safeguarding complaints.

Tim Welby noted that “so many people were calling for his resignation” that his father's position had become “untenable,” according to The Mirror.

He said his father was “really, really cross that it didn’t occur to him to triple check” whether the abuse had been reported to the authorities. “The frustrating thing is I don't think it ever occurred to him that it hadn't been reported to the police,” he was quoted as saying.

“He's definitely very embarrassed and appalled by what's happened. I know he's going to spend a lot of his time left in office having conversations with some of the people and trying to make sure that things are set up in the right way,” Tim Welby added.

Tim Welby also shared that his father plans to spend his remaining time in office meeting with abuse victims and establishing measures to prevent future failures.

Following Justin Welby's announcement last week that he would step down, a move prompted by accusations of mishandling child abuse claims involving Evangelical leader John Smyth, calls for Cottrell's resignation also emerged.

The Rev. Matthew Ineson, a retired vicar and abuse survivor, directly urged Cottrell to resign, arguing that only a “complete clean sweep at the top” could lead to significant change within the Church, The Telegraph reported.

Ineson, who experienced sexual abuse by a Bradford priest in the 1980s, claimed that the current archbishop of York has failed to hold clergy accountable. “Until there is a complete clean sweep at the top, nothing is going to change,” Ineson was quoted as saying. He further accused Cottrell of inconsistency, pointing to how Cottrell initially supported the suspension of Lord Sentamu, his predecessor, but later endorsed his return in a joint letter with Justin Welby.

Rev. Ineson waived his anonymity to describe how he was sexually abused by Rev. Trevor Devamanikkam, who took his own life in 2017 before facing trial on multiple sexual offense charges.

Ineson disclosed the abuse to senior clergy in 2013, but they did not report it to the authorities. In 2021, Cottrell visited Ineson, offering an apology on behalf of the Church of England for the abuse and the failures of senior leaders. Ineson, however, maintains that apologies are not enough, pointing out that the CofE's leadership has repeatedly protected its own. “They are just covering up for each other all the time,” he was quoted as saying.

Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, who previously led the Independent Safeguarding Board for the CofE, also called for Cottrell to step down.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell (L) stands next to The Rev. Canon Stephen Race (R). | Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

Sanghera accused Cottrell of ignoring multiple safeguarding complaints, including some involving senior CofE officials. “The real currency of leadership is transparency and trust,” The Times quoted her as saying. “Sadly, Stephen [Cottrell] has not demonstrated either with survivors. I believe stepping down is the most appropriate thing to do.”

Sanghera, who worked as head advocate of the ISB, said that out of the abuse cases reviewed, 12 were deemed strong, yet the CofE only reopened one. Between January 2022 and June last year, she said she repeatedly urged both archbishops to take action. “At every point, when we tried to get them to listen, we were ignored,” she told The Mail on Sunday.

Among the allegations are claims of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, as well as bullying and intimidation within the Church. Victims reportedly approached the Church for safeguarding responses, only to be let down.

Sanghera added that in both July of last year, she warned Welby and Cottrell that some victims might not “survive another year without support.”

Sanghera claimed that her removal from the ISB in June 2023 was due to her continued criticism of the CofE's handling of abuse cases. She said that her removal had left victims without support, leading some to experience severe mental health crises, with four survivors requiring emergency psychiatric care.

The recently published Makin Review described decades of abuse by John Smyth, who was involved in Evangelical camps across the U.K., South Africa and Zimbabwe. The review indicated that Smyth had abused at least 115 boys and young men, and that Welby was aware of the allegations from 2013 but failed to ensure they were reported to the police.

Welby admitted to “incompetence” in his resignation statement, noting that he bore “personal and institutional responsibility” for the failures.

The archbishop of York's office denied allegations that Cottrell ignored safeguarding complaints, stating that he has always taken such issues seriously.

The disbandment of the ISB was a collective decision made by the Archbishops' Council, prompted by a “breakdown in relations with independent members,” a spokesman claimed while speaking to media. However, the spokesperson acknowledged the negative impact that the ISB's dissolution had on victims, expressing regret for the consequences of that decision.