To think Justin Welby shouldn't have to resign?

[Gatecrashermum]

It sounds like he was told the police had been informed. I'm not sure he's personally responsible for this.

YABU he is right to resign
YANBU he didn't need to resign

Good riddance. I bet all the bishops are jostling already.

I'll bet! Wonder who's going to be in the running for the top job.

I expect he'll be resigning on a full pension + other lifetime income. The establishment looks after its own. He's a fucking disgrace. I don't know how people can think well of the church when it's stuffed to the gunnels with men who are happy to keep abuse hidden because it suits their powerbase. Kudos to those who tried to get it into daylight. If we have to continue with this crap, it's about time we had a female Archbishop, and there has never been a better time to argue the case.

Totally agree

There was a petition, shared on Mumsnet, asking him to resign. If I recall correctly, that petition was started by three bishops.

Probably the pressure from the Bishops and media.

If he didn’t step down he’d shame the Anglican Church further than it’s already been shamed by this scandal.

Absolutely agree!!

Ironically the potential of a female archbishop is only made possible by Welby welcoming female bishops.

It said on BBC News that the King “exchanged private words with Justin Welby through intermediaries this morning”

Not sure if any of those words were “off”…

His resignation is largely symbolic. Not that it isn't the right thing to do.

However, the process used to be that the church referred priests to the police, and then police referred them back to the Bishop to make a decision (which was usually to move them to another parish). Smyth was referred to the police twice. It's not unreasonable for the church to think that they have done their part. The church isn't there to hold the police to account.

It's basically a mess, and I doubt that they will find another senior Bishop who wasn't involved in one of these cases.

I'm not sure having a women archbishop is going to solve the problem, it was nuns that were happily selling babies in the Catholic Church. It's the institution. I'm struggling to think of an institution that doesn't protect itself above all else.

YABU.

Of course, he shouldn't be a scapegoat and let all the other culpable parties off the hook. Other people in the CofE , police...was there any comeback against whoever at Winchester knew what was going on at the camps, stopped their own boys from further involvement but didn't expose smythe then?

What - like his mate Paula Vennals?

Ironically the potential of a female archbishop is only made possible by Welby welcoming female bishops.

Was that down to welby specifically or more that it was well overdue? In any case so what? Are the women clergy supposed to be grateful to the male hierarchy for finally joining the 20th century in the 21st?

He was effectively the CEO of the CofE, he is supposed to lead and the buck stops with him.

He knew Smyth was an active CSA yet he did nothing to ensure he was immediately (the same day) reported to the police and arrested.

He should have resigned years ago.

According to the Times, one of the abused wrote to Welby 16 letters and never got a response. Where the concern is for the institution and not the people then he failed in his duty to his flock in my view. As the most senior person in that institution, after the king, he needs to be held accountable.

No he is rotten. I remember his recent interview on the BBC about assisted dying.

He didn't care that people were suffering intolerably just like the didn't care that children were being abused.

Nasty, nasty man.

He has no morals.

I remember his recent interview on the BBC about assisted dying.

He didn't care that people were suffering intolerably just like he didn't care that children were being abused.

Nasty, nasty man.

Why did it get to the point where he resigns

And he should be arrested

Again men in power protecting other men in power who abuse children

Yep. There are actual abusers in the church who have been paid off to leave! Give this a listen.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0021w8q

As a PP has said, before you feel any sympathy for Welby read the Makin report. He was in it up to his neck and did nothing. A familiar pattern with ‘men of the cloth’
Organised religion makes me sick.

There is absolutely no way, given he used to volunteer on those camps, that he knew absolutely nothing about the abuse until 2013.

FFS I know all the gossip about the church I used to go to and I haven't set foot in it for 30 years.

Resign? He should never have been Archbishop of Canterbury.

He's a useless twit who has presided over a culture of saying some of the right things while undermining any attempt at real change. Look at Meg Munn's resignation statement if you have any doubt.

That is so awful

Yes he should resign. One of the victims on radio 4 this morning ensured years of savage beatings , wrote anonymous letters to advise authorities and then tried to kill himself
Welby reportedly showed "little curiosity" when told of accusations against the perpetrator.