Bishop Calls for Archbishop of Canterbury's Resignation Over Church Abuse Scandal
0:00 Archbishop Faces Calls to Resign: The Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, calls for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, to resign over his handling of a child abuse scandal in the Church of England.
0:13 Damning Report: Bishop Hartley describes a recent report about John Smyth QC, considered the most prolific serial abuser associated with the Church of England, as "horrific, horrendous and shocking."
0:55 Loss of Trust: Bishop Hartley questions whether the Church of England can be trusted to keep people safe, especially victims and survivors of church-related abuse.
1:18 John Smyth QC's Abuse: Correspondent Harry Farley explains that John Smyth QC abused dozens of boys in the UK in the 1970s and 80s at Christian camps attended by Justin Welby.
1:46 Church Cover-Up: A report describes Smyth's beatings as brutal and horrific, and states that the church knew about the abuse at the highest level, but its response was ineffective and amounted to a cover-up.
2:00 Continued Abuse: Smyth's abuse continued in Zimbabwe and South Africa until his death in 2018.
2:30 Growing Movement for Resignation: Bishop Hartley is the first senior leader in the Church of England to openly call for Welby's resignation. A petition launched by members of the General Synod (Church of England's parliament) also calls for Welby's resignation.
3:06 Damaged Moral Authority: Bishop Hartley argues that the Church of England cannot be a moral voice in the UK if it cannot address its own internal issues of abuse.
3:16 Welby's Apology and Decision to Stay: Welby, who learned about Smyth's abuse in 2013, apologized for not ensuring a thorough investigation. He considered resigning but decided against it after seeking advice.
3:40 Lambeth Palace's Response: Lambeth Palace reiterates Welby's condemnation of Smyth's abuse but states that he does not intend to resign.