Archbishop Welby’s resignation

CATHEDRAL NEWSLETTER - 14 November 2024

Official Portrait, Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

Friends in Christ, no doubt many of you will have heard about this week's resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, taking personal and institutional responsibility of grievous failures within the Church of England regarding the failure to protect minors from the evil of child abuse: physical, sexual and spiritual.

While I share additional criticisms of Justin Welby, now is not the time for that, and I think the statement of the Chairman of Gafcon strikes the right note, so I share it with you in entirety. 

Gafcon responds to the resignation of Archbishop Welby

We were saddened by the news of the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the reasons for his decision. While the Gafcon Primates have been critical of the Archbishop’s leadership, the circumstances of his resignation is not an occasion for rejoicing, but for grief and self-reflection.

The presence of child sexual abuse in the church of God is a pernicious evil, which has brought devastating, long-term effects upon survivors and their families. Yet their trauma is only exacerbated by negligence or inaction in pursuing and prosecuting perpetrators for their crimes. Such failures to act also grieve the heart of God and bring shame upon his church.

We appreciate Archbishop Justin’s willingness to resign from his office, as it shows evidence of his desire to take responsibility for his own lack of action in investigating the allegations against John Smyth, which came to light in 2013. While his own admission of regret and remorse is welcome, the past cannot be undone.

Leadership in any sphere of life is challenging, and no less so in the church of God. Christian leaders are called to be shepherds of the flock. Yet, none of us is perfect, as we all make mistakes, but owning our failures is also the mark of good leadership. While some errors of judgment have greater consequences than others, the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, knows our frailty and forgives all who are truly penitent. He also cares for the downcast and broken, as he cares for those who have been abused.

We pray for Archbishop Justin, his wife Caroline, and his family as the days ahead will not be without difficulty. We also pray for all those who have experienced sexual abuse by false shepherds in the church of God. May they know the peace of God that passes understanding and that heals all our infirmities.

The Most Revd. Dr. Laurent Mbanda
Chairman of the Gafcon Primates Council
Archbishop & Primate of Rwanda
Bishop of Gasabo

If you wish to pray now, you might refer to this prayer for churches lamenting abuse and failed leadership that the Cathedral has shared previously.

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As a footnote, it's worth saying that popular media reporting which refers to the Archbishop of Canterbury as 'Head of the Church' is badly misguided. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can and should ever be referred to as Head of the Church.

For example, the Apostle Paul once prayed for the Spirit's help for us to know God and his power through Christ. In saying that power can be personally at work in us, Paul wrote:

That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. [Ephesians 1:19b-23]

Later, Paul uses the exact phrase, "head of the church" for Jesus in Ephesians 5:23 (see also Colossians 1:18). 

Furthermore, for your information, in practical terms, the Archbishop of Canterbury has only had a customary figurehead role in world-wide Anglicanism. He has absolutely no consitutional role of any kind in the Anglican Church of Australia. 

Warmly in Christ,

Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney