The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, acknowledged that “trust has been broken” as he began a meeting of the Church of England’s governing body, the General Synod. The Bishop of Newcastle, Helen Ann-Hartley, called for Mr Cottrell’s resignation, stating that he was an inadequate leader for necessary reform. Bishop Hartley has demanded Mr Cottrell’s resignation after he faced criticism for his mishandling of a sexual abuse case last year. The Church is substituting the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who resigned last year amid allegations concerning his and the Church’s handling of prolific child molester John Smyth. The Archbishop is considered the second highest-ranking authority in the Church of England.
In December 2021, Mr Cottrell faced criticism from the media after an investigation by the BBC exposed that he had sanctioned a priest to remain in post despite knowing that the official was prohibited from being in contact with children and had paid compensation to a sexual abuse survivor. Before he addressed the synod, a vote was cast that would have prevented Mr Cottrell from delivering the opening address at the synod. The vote, which was presented by a lay member of the General Synod, argued that Mr Cottrell’s position is “no longer tenable.” The motion was defeated when 239 members voted against it against 73 for it, and 43 abstentions. During the opening address, Mr Cottrell conceded that the Church of England is encountering “difficult and challenging times.”
This week, the Synod is expected to have significant talks about safeguarding measures after the Church received criticism for its misuse of child abuse that occurred over numerous decades. Victims and survivors of abuse, along with several members of the clergy, have called for safeguarding reform, and the subject has been placed on this week’s synod agenda. However, Bishop Hartley stated that Mr Cottrell was not the best person for overseeing the reform process, citing that she does not think that it is appropriate for the Archbishop of York to be in a particular post, “and certainly to be leading change that the Church needs at this time.” The spokesperson for the Church of England recognized and committed themselves to independent, transparent, and accountable safeguarding structures, and the Synod will decide between “two proposed models that significantly strengthen the independence of safeguarding structures” this week.
The meeting was not without its controversy either. Although others manifested their resentment at the calls for Mr Cottrell’s resignation and what some have called a “trial by media.” According to Bishop of Dover Rose Hudson-Wilkin, “This sort of febrile attitude… this is not about a boardroom meeting… this is the church, we are about the business of God.” She believes the gathering should be viewed as “an opportunity for the church to stop and take stock, as it were.
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