To think Justin Welby shouldn't have to resign?

Matt Redman video on Mike Pilavachi.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YVZkgdt32u8

I’m a Christian, I grew up going to those festivals, it was clear from what glimpses I saw at 18 that things were deeply wrong - Pilavachi used to run his hands all over the face of one of the male worship leaders called Tim who I think was barely 18 at the time, but NO ONE in the church leadership did anything about it. Welby never denounced him.

Mike Pilavachi.

Justin Welby should have stripped him of his bishop title but never did. The way the Church of England has handled this is a disgrace.

If you watch the Matt Redman ( very famous charismatic Christian worship leader) you’ll see just how appalling what Pilavachi did. Not on the same level as this other guy, but absolutely disgusting behaviour to young boys who disclosed sexual abuse.

He knew about allegations of child abuse and chose to do nothing about. It's utterly indefensible, as someone said if it was someone in a job like a school or social work you wouldn't think twice to call for their resignation.

I can't believe it's taken him so long to resign once it came to light. To know about something as utterly appalling as sexual abuse and to do nothing about it is absolutely criminal.

Hopefully not to people like Welby, either!

This is what HE says.

A report I heard earlier on the radio said there were indications that he'd known a lot longer, including about the covering up of an internal enquiry.

If he's jumped ship, he knows there is evidence.

OP, do you care to tell us why you think turning a blind eye to child sexual abuse is no big deal?

He disgusts me.

The Diocese of Newcastle produced guidance for churches on how to better support victims of abuse. The project was titled “If I told you, what would you do?” and is a series of resources to help churches respond better. Included in the resources (which are actually very good and made in conjunction with survivors) are a series of short videos, and Justin Welby features in a number of them - he speaks about the importance of believing victims, of responding well.

Watching them back now I feel sick.

When people told HIM, what did he do?

HE DID NOTHING He ignored the victims and allowed abuse to go on.

https://www.newcastle.anglican.org/safeguarding/if-i-told-you-what-would-you-do-/

I suppose what puzzles me from a basic, is that having had allegations against him, how did the abuser (or another abusers in the church) pass DBS checks?

So even if the police didnt or werent going to take action, that allegation and report is there on someones file. An enhnaced DBS for when you're working with vulnerable groups is required, so how does someone pass that?

Its obviously up to an employer whether they appoint someone with various convictions/intelligence/alegations on their records, perhaps thats where it went wrong? The church employed Smyth nonetheless?

of course he should not have resigned. He should have been sacked.

I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve. I pray that this decision points us back towards the love that Jesus Christ has for every one of us.
For above all else, my deepest commitment is to the person of Jesus Christ, my saviour and my God; the

I can't help noticing that his dear love of the Church of England is listed before Jesus and God

I wonder how many other abusers he has protected over the years? I have no idea why anyone is sticking up for him - he was aware of the abuse, he ignored the victims and clearly put the PR of the church first. Not very Christian is it?

He should have been fired.

I do not think that he should have to resign. He informed the police. As far as safeguarding he has put in place safeguarding measures within the church.

The crimes committed were horrendous. What is is being disucssed is whether the Bishop of Canterbury should resign and that is a different issue.

The Church will NEVER change because of the tenets and teachings of the Bible.

Hm ...there may be more verses urging parents to beat their children than there are ones urging kindness

No. The whole Welby thing, all the safeguarding issues are about power, status and looking right, as you said "PR and money over safeguarding". Nothing to do with the Bible and certainly not the teachings of Jesus, which can figure very little in organised Christianity, sadly.

My take on things. (Atheist, and a fan of secularism)

Welby was more concerned about PR and money over safeguarding, no doubt. If you are coming from an industry which historically has not given humans much thought, and where there are big bucks to be made, then you much later become AoC/CEO of the Church of England with all its own wealth, you kind of see where Welby puts his priorities.

The Church will NEVER change because of the tenets and teachings of the Bible. The Church want people to suffer, because Jesus suffered, and associated with that is the renouncement of sins as we suffer so we may go to Heaven. It's the same with the Assisted Dying Bill. Bishops telling the country how things should be based on suffering, sinning, forgiveness. It's medieval.

Welby said he quit because it was best for the Church. No thoughts for Smyths victims, then?

I'm enclosing the secular standpoint from the NSS. https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2024/11/cofe-clergy-call-on-welby-to-resign-over-smyth-abuse-scandal

In a way, his level of moral responsibility is irrelevant - the relevant fact is that people had lost confidence in him as a senior church figure - his authority was gone - so he had to leave.

Yes you can, you can tell if someone is dodgy, untrustworthy, poses a danger etc. it’s called instinct, which you clearly lack. You probably thought Jimmy Saville was a stand up guy then by your reckoning, luckily most of us knew he was an utter creep.

YABVU

He knew about Smyth when he became A of C.
He knew all about it and did nothing.
That makes him complicit.

He should have resigned a long time ago.

The problem is people dont get 'cleared'. The police in many cases simply take no further action. And thats not a criticism of the police, sometimes they simply cant go any further and an investigations closes. That doesnt mean someone is cleared.

Fortunately, Jesus doesn't answer to people like you.

No, he did not do something. He failed to report the horrific abuse he knew about, or to follow it up with the police or the victims.
By not doing something, he allowed the perpetrator to get away with it and helped prevent the victims from getting either justice or closure.
Worse than not doing something, he did nothing.

He should be thoroughly ashamed of himself and Jesus should send him to hell when he gets to the pearly gates.

You can tell by looking?
You're the sort of person who makes up lynch mobs.

Dangerous bollocks.

There is evidence he knew in 2013 and did nothing. Then lied about not knowing. He is close friends with the abuser. So yes, he needed to go.

The systemic rape of children within the Church seems to be regarded as trivial. You only have to look at KC's close relationship with Saville to see what a bunch of cunts they are.