Justin Welby has resigned after a report found that he could have done more to prevent horrific abuse carried out by John Smyth, the most prolific serial abuser associated with the Church Of England.
The Church of England has a problem with abuse, it’s still reeling from the Mike Pilivachi scandal, another man who was allowed to carry out abuse within the church for far too long, another man for whom excuses were made, whose behaviour was hidden and covered up.
Despite all this, the Church of England Canon J.John who defended PIlivachi, doesn’t seem to have learned, recently posting pictures of himself embracing Russell Brand, who the fact the CPS is currently considering bringing several rape charges against, at a church leadership event he ran, solely for men, of course.
As well as this, we know that like other Christian denominations, 1 in 4 women in the Church of England will experience Domestic Abuse from their (mostly) Church of England husbands. What is the church doing about all this, not a right lot, it’s too busy arguing about whether or not gay people should be allowed to be fully included in church life. And the gay people involved in that process are leaving the church in droves, why? Because, they say, they’re being abused.
Smyth, Pilivachi, Welby, J.John, Brand have one thing in common. They’re all men. When was the last time we read about a woman being involved in an abuse scandal? I can’t think of one.
The Church of England is predominantly run by men, according to the Church Times, men outnumber women as incumbents by more than two to one. Every one of the 105 Archbishops of Canterbury have been men. And look what a mess they’re making of things.
There are some fantastic female bishops in the Church of England: Sarah Mullally, Rachel Treweek, Rose Hudson-Wilkins to name but a few. Isn’t it time we had a female Archbishop of Canterbury? After all, what are men doing to prevent abuse in the church? Nothing.
