Following the news that the Archbishop of Canterbury has offered his resignation, Bishop Rachel and Bishop Robert have updated the message they shared on 11 November.
“The Makin report on John Smyth makes sickening and sobering reading. That this level of abuse could be going on in the Church and other institutions, and knowingly by so many, is abhorrent and disturbs us to our core.
“As Bishops in the Church of England we are profoundly sorry for the hurt, the pain and the suffering which victims and survivors of John Smyth’s abuse have endured, and we are ashamed at the Church’s response to the allegations. We are also appalled that any clergy person could believe that covering up abuse was justified in the name of the Gospel.
“We agree with the Archbishop’s decision to resign, and hope that this goes some way in acknowledging the failures of the Church to act and respond to survivors and victims of this horrific abuse, while recognising that this can never undo the pain and impact on people’s lives.
“As Bishops we will continue to advocate for a process of satisfactory redress for victims and survivors of abuse and remain committed to creating a safer culture across our Diocese, and safeguarding the welfare of every child, young person and adult.
“We continue to pray for all whose lives continue to be impacted by the publication of the report and all that led to it becoming necessary”.
Finding support
If you or anyone you are in contact with are affected by the publication of this report and want to talk to someone independently please call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or visit safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk.
Alternatively, you may wish to contact the diocesan safeguarding team or the National Safeguarding Team at gro.d1733525259nalgn1733525259efohc1733525259ruhc@1733525259gnidr1733525259augef1733525259as1733525259
There are also other support services available.
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I feel that all the hard work taken on by PCC members to try and keep are churches going , the good work we do reaching out to people passing on the good word And then you get these people in the church of England whom get paid for it undo it all shame on them, who do they think they are, you all need to take a step back and look at your selfs
Regards Sheila Theobald
Well said, this has been my own experience too.
Most of the protections and hoops wardens are being asked to sign up to – such as Enhanced DBS checks etc serve primarily to protect the institution of the church, and only in a very minor way do they protect children. It is a risk-based system – and removing all risk is impossible, and not even desirable.
Easy to blame cover up, but who do you report these things to? If the institution that you report to (police) won’t listen, then it is a pointless exercise.
And when it comes to raising concerns to our diocese / archdeacons about parish matters, my experience is that they won’t listen. So “cover up” (outwith safeguarding matters) is alive and thriving in our own diocese.
Next Sunday is Stir up Sunday and it is clear to many of us that the Church of England is in urgent need of some Stirring Up.
I was once in a very dark place caused by emotional abuse from a clergyman. Bishop Rachel helped me when noone else would and I will always be grateful.
We Anglicans need that clear sighted moral and spiritual leadership demonstrated in this statement. We need a recognition that the Church is the Body of Christ, not an oil company or the Post Office.
Whilst I agree that John Smyth was engaging in horrific acts of abuse, I feel bound to point out that to my knowledge the Iwerne Trust was wholly independent of the Diocese, not governed or funded by the Diocese and not even licensed by them. References in the press and elsewhere have said that his acts were associated with the CofE and in some reports that it was in someway part of the CofE. I’m not sure this is accurate. John Smyth was Chairman from 1971 to 1984 but not ordained. He was a lawyer.
This does not try to absolve any cover up heaven forbid, but let’s judge it in its proper context. Iwerne was not a CofE project.
Thank you, our bishops, for your message and thank you too Bishop Rachel for the calmness and wisdom you showed in your conversation on the Channel 4 news . Amidst the pressure from the further pressure created by the Media, we need to hold many people in our prayers; of course, and primarily, those who suffered so horrifically at the hands of John Smythe; those implicated in any way in the Report, especially Justin; and all involved in the essential but challenging work of Safeguarding. How appropriate it is that this coming Sunday is Safeguarding Sunday.