Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns in abuse fallout: All to know

Welby is accused of not taking sufficient action to stop one of the Church of England’s most prolific serial abusers.

The archbishop of Canterbury has resigned after an investigation found that he failed to pursue an investigation into allegations of serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer associated with the Church of England at Christian summer camps.

Justin Welby, 68, resigned on Tuesday, five days after the independent Makin Report singled him out for criticism over his handling of abuse allegations dating back to the 1970s.

Here is what you need to know:

Welby announced his resignation “in sorrow”, taking “personal and institutional responsibility” for a lack of action on the “heinous abuses” allegedly committed by the late John Smyth, a volunteer at Christian summer camps decades ago.

“The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England,” Welby said.