More Church of England leaders were aware of the John Smyth scandal and should follow the Archbishop of Canterbury’s decision to resign, according to the head of the official inquiry into child abuse.
Professor Alexis Jay said that abuse continued in the church and the cover-up of Smyth’s decades of wrongdoing could not be “down to one person”.
The Most Rev Justin Welby, 68, will stand down in January and pass his duties to the Archbishop of York, the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, who will act in a “caretaker” role.
Last week Cottrell rejected a call to resign after being accused of “ignoring” 11 separate complaints, some involving leading figures in the Church, including bishops. Cottrell said that he had always taken safeguarding very seriously.
Jay, 75, who led the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse at British institutions and prepared last year’s report on the future of church safeguarding, told Times Radio on Sunday that child abuse continued in the church.
Asked if there should be more resignations in response to the revelations about Smyth, she said: “It can’t just be down to one person. Justin Welby and all of those who failed to take action and allowed this appalling criminal behaviour to continue and for so many victims to have been damaged by it is a disgrace. And anyone who feels that should consider their position.”
Five members of the Church of England clergy have now stood down after a review of the Smyth case accused them of having known about allegations that the barrister abused boys at Christian camps in Zimbabwe and possibly South Africa. Smyth died in 2018.
Four bishops were accused in the Makin review of being aware of allegations against Smyth before 2017.
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