Archbishop of Canterbury: ‘we have failed terribly’ on abuse
February 02, 2017
Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury apologized following media reports that a prominent evangelical Anglican, John Smyth, physically abused 22 young men.
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An Anglican charity documented the abuse in 1982, but failed to report it to authorities.
Archbishop Welby worked with Smyth at a camp in the late 1970s but said he was unaware of the abuse.
“We recognize that many institutions fail catastrophically, but the Church is meant to hold itself to a far, far higher standard and we have failed terribly,” the archbishop’s office said in a statement. “For that the Archbishop apologizes unequivocally and unreservedly to all survivors.”
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Further information:
- Archbishop admits Church ‘failed terribly’ over abuse revelations (Channel 4 News)
- Statement on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury
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Posted by: jeremiahjj -
Feb. 02, 2017 6:50 PM ET USA
The church "failed terribly" in another way too -- when it ordained women to the priesthood. Nothing against women, except that they cannot act in personal christi during Holy Mass. Think of it this way -- men may feel deeply for children but only a woman can give birth to one. In a similar way, only a modern-day man can stand in the footsteps of Jesus offering himself to God as propitiation for our sins. By ordaining women, Anglicans created a huge barrier to full and equal unity.