The Church of England has “much to learn from others” after a damning review exposed “shameful” safeguarding failings, according to the Archbishop of York.
Stephen Cottrell offered an apology to the victims and survivors who came forward to disclose the “horrors” they experienced, adding he would work “purposefully” for independent scrutiny of safeguarding in the Church of England (CoE).
His remarks came in response to the independent Makin Review, which said barrister John Smyth’s “abhorrent” abuse of more than 100 children and young men was covered up within the CoE for years.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, announced last month that he was quitting following days of pressure after the review concluded that Smyth might have been brought to justice had Mr Welby formally reported the abuser to police in 2013.
I want to pay tribute to the victims and survivors who came forward to disclose the horrors they experienced. My heart goes out to them and I apologise for these shameful failings
Mr Cottrell, speaking as he led a House of Lords debate, told peers: “I felt with all that’s been happening in the Church of England in recent weeks, I should end on a more sobering note.
“Unless institutions are safe places for children, families and vulnerable adults, the things that we long for, all of us, and believe in will not come to pass.”
Mr Cottrell noted it is often said ensuring the security of people is the first priority of government, adding: “The recently published Makin Review has again revealed shocking failures within the Church of England to safeguard children and vulnerable, in this case, young adults.
“I want to pay tribute to the victims and survivors who came forward to disclose the horrors they experienced. My heart goes out to them and I apologise for these shameful failings.
“Moreover, I pledge myself to work purposefully for independent scrutiny of safeguarding in the Church of England and greater operational independence.
“These are the next steps we must take and we have much to learn from others.”
Conservative former minister Baroness Berridge said there is “no trusted, independent avenue of redress” for victims of Church abuse.
She told the Lords: “The nation needs – and that’s a lofty claim, I know – swift, independent redress for these victims, probably judge led and any other historic cases or reviews to be dealt with before a new Archbishop of Canterbury takes office or there’s a royal occasion to host.”
Lady Berridge said it was a “torrid case of abuse”, before noting: “Particularly at this time, to think that men were beaten until they bled is devastating to us as Christians.”
The Bishop of Lichfield, Michael Ipgrave, followed Lady Berridge’s speech, saying: “I’m sure that on these benches and more widely, all of us as bishops will register and take to heart the searching and challenging words of Baroness Berridge and thank her for them.”
Mr Welby initially declined to resign when the report was published, saying he had “no idea or suspicion of” Smyth’s abuse before 2013 but acknowledging the review had found that after its wider exposure that year, despite being told police had been notified, he had “personally failed to ensure” it was “energetically investigated”.
I think people must move on, (the Archbishop of Canterbury has) taken responsibility for the whole Church and I think that the Church and we should be grateful for that
In his resignation statement five days later, he said he was taking “personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024” and spoke of his “profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England”.
Conservative former minister Lord Robathan expressed regret at the manner in which Mr Welby was “driven out of his post in a sort of witch hunt”, adding there is also a “huge number of other people” who did not take action.
He added: “I saw in fact the speech that the Archbishop (Justin Welby) made yesterday was criticised for some levity … I read the speech and I thought he spoke very well.
“I think people must move on, he’s taken responsibility for the whole Church and I think that the Church and we should be grateful for that.”
Lord Robathan went on to say he fears the CoE hierarchy has “lost touch with the Church as a whole”, adding: “As I sit in church on a Sunday, I see a church that is dying on its feet. It’s becoming more and more irrelevant.
“The dwindling congregations, we all know, yet, frankly, the Church is, to a certain extent, fiddling while it burns.”
Today it’s my privilege to be leading a debate in the @HouseofLords, asking that the House takes note of the importance of social cohesion and strong, supportive community life during periods of change and global uncertainty. https://t.co/jXaoUhXdOd
— Archbishop of York (@CottrellStephen) December 6, 2024
The subject for Mr Cottrell’s debate was the importance of social cohesion and strong, supportive community life during periods of change and global uncertainty.
The Archbishop of York raised concerns over the summer riots in England, saying: “While there were extremist forces at play, we also need to face the uncomfortable truth that, although the rhetoric was extreme, many of the people involved in the riots basically weren’t.
“We know from the courts that more than half of those charged with offences such as violent disorder came from the country’s most deprived 20% of neighbourhoods.
“This means places with the worst health outcomes, lower levels of qualifications, where employment is at its lowest and where the impacts of austerity, the pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation have hit hardest, intensifying those feelings of being left behind.
“And then made all the worse by social media’s wildfire of disinformation, and, yes, fed by years of hard and soft extremist rhetoric.”
