The bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, has announced his retirement from his position amid allegations of sexual assault and harassment. The accusations had already been investigated by the national safeguarding team of the Church of England, who deemed them unsubstantiated. The bishop, who is 58, maintains he has never done anything wrong. However, following mounting pressure to step aside after Beverley Mason, the bishop of Warrington, confirmed her allegation of sexual harassment against Perumbalath in March 2023, he decided to retire. He says the case has been tried by the media before he could defend himself and as such his position has become untenable.
Upon resigning, Perumbalath made it clear that he is not stepping down because of any admission of guilt, but because he cannot continue a long period of uncertainty for the diocese and all who serve it. In reference to his decision to retire, Perumbalath said: “Having sought the permission of his majesty the King, I have today taken the decision to retire from active ministry in the Church of England,” he added, “I have consistently maintained that I have not done anything wrong and continue to do so.” The bishop’s departure comes at a time of great turmoil for the Church of England, with high-profile resignations by top members over the handling of previously undisclosed abuse scandals.
The Church of England’s lead bishop on safeguarding, Joanne Grenfell, had earlier called on Perumbalath to step aside to allow an investigation to take place. The ongoing crisis in the Church, and the allegations against Perumbalath, will doubtless be a topic of discussion at the next synod. In light of these recent events, there are likely to be strong calls to rebuild the trust and credibility of the Church, specifically in relation to issues of abuse and safeguarding.
Furthermore, Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, now faces calls for his resignation over his handling of the investigation around a priest at the center of a sexual abuse case. The bishop of Liverpool’s announcement comes a few months after the resignation of Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, over his response to a separate abuse scandal. The widespread nature of the allegations has caused dismay among the rank and file, leaving part of the congregation insecure with regards to the future of the institution
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