Overview

• Justin Welby reiterated his apology to survivors of John Smyth's abuse, expressing a deep sense of personal failure over the Church of England's inadequate response.
• He admitted to initially mishandling the decision to resign after the Makin Review exposed systemic failures and cover-ups within the Church.
• The Makin Review concluded that Welby did not sufficiently follow up on reports about Smyth, potentially allowing the abuser to evade justice.
• Welby emphasized that survivor care, not institutional forgiveness, should be the Church's priority in safeguarding efforts moving forward.
• The Church of England continues to face scrutiny over its safeguarding practices, with survivors and critics demanding systemic reforms and accountability.