In a surprising turn of events, a Church of England bishop made a bold call on Monday for the incoming interim leader to step down due to his handling of a troubling sexual abuse case. This request comes just weeks after the previous Archbishop of Canterbury was compelled to resign under similar circumstances.
As reported by the BBC, Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, faced criticism for his actions in a prior diocese where he allowed a priest to retain his position despite being aware that the Church had placed restrictions on his interaction with children. Furthermore, it was revealed that the priest had made a payment to a victim of sexual abuse. Cottrell is slated to assume the temporary leadership role next month, following Justin Welby as the Archbishop of Canterbury, a position that holds significant influence over millions of Anglicans across the globe.
Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley of Newcastle was among the initial high-ranking figures to call for Welby’s resignation and has now extended this demand to include Cottrell. In an interview with the BBC, she expressed her concern, stating, “It completely undermines his credibility that this case was not acted on.”
Cottrell disclosed that he had been made aware of the priest, David Tudor, when he took on the role of Bishop of Chelmsford in 2010. He collaborated with professionals to mitigate potential risks associated with Tudor’s past actions. However, Cottrell clarified in a statement that he lacked legal grounds to suspend Tudor until nine years later when the authorities apprehended him. Reflecting on the situation, he remarked, “The circumstances I encountered upon assuming the position of Bishop of Chelmsford were distressing and unacceptable – particularly for the survivors and victims. I deeply regret that earlier action was not feasible, but that was the predicament I inherited.”
Following his admission of sexual misconduct, Tudor was permanently banned from ministry by a Church tribunal in October. The BBC disclosed that Tudor compensated a woman who accused him of sexual abuse with a sum of 10,000 pounds ($12,600).
In response to Tudor’s misconduct, the Church of England characterized it as a “serious breach of trust” and announced plans to conduct an independent review of its safeguarding protocols. Welby, who held the Archbishop position for 11 years, came under scrutiny for his handling of a case involving lawyer John Smyth, who subjected over 100 boys and young men to prolonged periods of “brutal and horrific” physical and sexual abuse over a span of four decades.
The Church’s statement emphasized the need for accountability and reform within its ranks to prevent such atrocities from occurring in the future. The gravity of these incidents underscores the importance of robust safeguarding measures and swift, decisive action in response to allegations of abuse.
