Should the King make a statement about the Welby situation?

[CurlewKate]

As the Head of the CofE, he must surely have been aware of what was going on?

He should make a clean breast of why he hangs out with paedophiles and those who collude with paedophiles. Then he should step down.

No, I don’t think he should make a statement. Thank god for people like Helen-Ann Hartley who is strong enough to put her head above the parapet and principled enough to make a stand.

@FaceLikeACrackedScreen "Thank god for people like Helen-Ann Hartley who is strong enough to put her head above the parapet and principled enough to make a stand."

Indeed. Can you say why you don t think the King should get involved??

I’m not sure @CurlewKate , I’ll think about it, can’t articulate it atm but it just feels wrong.

I follow +HA and the Newcastle Diocese for various reasons. A statement with a link to a letter from AIC and AOY on Sentamu yesterday shows her courage. Accused them both of writing coercively. Shocking letter, patriarchy at its best and shows that the boys club is very much in existence. An example of everything wrong with the institution.

Link

No, because ultimately this is a political (and legal) matter and the royal family does not (and should not, IMHO) comment on those kinds of matters.

What could the King usefully say? JW has tendered his resignation, giving his reasons which have been made public and are widely known anyway.

I really doubt he knew what was going on he's not watching everyone like a hawk

Damned if he does/doesn't. But Charles got caught out with the Bishop of Gloucester some years ago so probably advised to stay quiet or just write his letters. It is a Church matter and it was the Queen back then. The cynic in me thinks they all look after each other. Welby did the right thing but only because he had to. Had 11 years or more to do something

It should be noted that Charles was not head of the COE at the time the abuse was taking place and originally reported; nor at the time Welby was appointed as Archbishop - this all happened under Queen Elizabeth II's 'watch'.

I am not an admirer of the King but to be fair, he is only the titular head of the Church of England. I don't think he has much to do with its day to day management.

Thoughts and prayers.

That seems to be the response of Sentamu, Welby and Cottrell to horrific sexual abuse.
Presumably that will be the King’s response too.
It’s all we’re going to get.

The police need to speak to Welby.

This king was taking advice from Jimmy Savill for years. I’m not sure he is a very good judge of character. I doubt he knew a thing.

Exactly that @Boobygravy . +HA was appointed to the role in Newcastle and took a strong stance on Sentamu/created waves.

The Archbishops came back with their 'boys club' response, seriously underestimating her authenticity and strength, thankfully the net result is that Welby has gone. Hopefully the first step of change in the Church.

Not sure who will be appointed, but the King's approval is merely ceremonial.

No because I don't think m he would have had a clue until the report came out. I didn't think welby should have resigned either because it was the incompetence of the police investigation here and abroad not taking it seriously that meant he died before he could be convicted. You can't hold leaders to account for actions long before their time, neither would have been aware nor part of decision making back when it was happening or he was essentially shipped overseas nor did the victims report to the police at the time. It was absolutely awful so we learn and prevent it happening again rather than blaming people who weren't the perpetrator nor in a position of power at the time

The people who advise the King would definitely have kept him aware of developments on this.

Welby enabled this person, he didn't address concerns and was supportive of Smyth for a long period of time, long before his elevation to AOC. Imagine his position today if he had taken a similar position to the Bishop of Newcastle back in the day, or even subsequently.

He shouldn't have resigned, I'll grant you that, he should have been removed from his position.

I hope he loses his seat in the House of Lords.

No. It's not actually his role to comment on things like this, whether in the church or politics. His role as Head of the Co of E is symbolic so this would be crossing a line. He's been criticised in the past for interfering, it's no different just because it's something most of us agree on.

Why do you think he would have known? The head of the CofE thing is just titular, and wasn't his role at the time, anyway.

The people who advise the King would definitely have kept him aware of developments on this

If they told anyone at the time, it would have been the Queen.

If Welby had done the right thing earlier, lessons could have been learned much sooner but, much more importantly, the lives of many young boys in Africa would not have been ruined.

you’ve got blinkers on I’m afraid. Welby knew Smyrh was a wrong un when they were at camp together, just like the people of Leeds knew Jimmy Saville was a wrong un before he ever stepped foot in the BBC.

I’m finding the discussion around this interesting. I prioritise the wishes of survivors, on the basis they will know more about specific events being discussed and their feelings are important.

Beyond that, I’m surprised JW is carrying the can for a situation he thought was historic and resolved/in the hands of the police. But I haven’t read up on this in detail.

I’m more outraged by very recent behaviour that’s happened on our patch, so to speak, under current safeguarding training, and still not effectively prevented. Mike Pelavachi.

I also worry that in Scapegoating Welby the church will consider it over. If we change leadership every time there’s a failure, everything being worked on slows down. Instead of sorting out the same sex marriage stuff and the safeguarding stuff, a lot of attention will be distracted by the replacement process.

I hadn’t realised that, when would that have been?

It just goes on and on doesn’t it? Locally the Dean of the cathedral was suspended for ages. Not sure if they came back or were eventually sacked but it seemed to be for just this matter. That they knew about abuse, didn’t report/safeguard stuff effectively and swept it under the carpet. Kind of ironic that while they were going through disciplinary procedures for this subject their ultimate boss was guilty of the same.

i agree that the sovereign is a figurehead but not involved in day to day stuff so I’m really not fussed about a statement or apology from Charles, even if he’d been king at the time.

And since September 2022? This has been a current matter in the church since KC ascended the throne. Of course he will be kept appraised.

I know it may seem pedantic to some but I wish people would recognise that Charles is only the current Supreme Governor of the CoE and stop calling him the Head.

There is already one Head - the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:22)