Following widespread calls for his resignation amidst a historical sexual abuse scandal within the Church of England, Archbishop Justin Welby has announced his departure, Al Jazeera reports.
The decision was met with approval by many, including former Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, who described it as “the right and honourable thing to do.”
Welby’s resignation comes after a damning 2022 report by the Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse, which found that the Church of England had created a culture that allowed abusers to thrive. The report highlighted a pattern of deference to clerical authority, a taboo surrounding sexuality, and a system that prioritized the support of alleged perpetrators over their victims.
With Welby’s departure, speculation has begun about his successor. Several prominent figures have emerged as potential candidates, including:
• Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London and the third most senior bishop in the Church of England, is widely considered a strong contender. She is a former chief nursing officer in the Department of Health and brings a wealth of experience to the table.
• Helen-Ann Hartley, the Bishop of Newcastle, has been vocal in calling for Welby’s resignation. Her outspoken stance could make her a popular choice as the Church seeks to distance itself from the scandal. She has also recently revealed experiencing “coercive language” from Welby and former Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, in the past.
• Martyn Snow, the Bishop of Leicester, Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich, and Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford, are also in the running. Snow abstained in a Church assembly vote on blessings for gay couples, while Usher is a vocal advocate for gay rights. Francis-Dehqani, who was born in Iran, has spoken openly about her brother’s death in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution.
If a woman is chosen as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, it would be a historic moment, marking the first female to hold the position.
