Bishops face backlash over silence on abuse scandal

In the United Kingdom, the Church of England is facing intense scrutiny over its handling of abuse allegations following the Makin review, which was released last month. This review examined the Church's failure to effectively address the serial abuse perpetrated by John Smyth, who abused 130 boys and young men across three countries over several decades. Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley of Newcastle accused her fellow bishops of 'careerism' and silence regarding the cover-up, suggesting they aim to position themselves for the role of the next Archbishop of Canterbury. Her comments have led to her feeling isolated from the episcopal community, and she has called for significant changes to the Church's safeguarding measures. In light of the Makin review, Hartley has advocated for the Church of England to be placed under special measures to improve its safeguarding protocols, asserting that drastic measures are necessary due to the damage done to the Church's credibility. She suggested that bishops under scrutiny from the Makin review should step back from their official duties until the allegations are investigated. This includes Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who has been criticized for his previous inaction regarding domestic abuse allegations within the Church. Hartley emphasized the need for an independent review of bishops who have failed to protect vulnerable individuals. Bishop Cottrell has expressed remorse for not acting decisively in the past and acknowledged his distress over the situation. Hartley has questioned Archbishop Justin Welby’s decision to remain in his role until January, calling for immediate resignation following his acknowledgment of the scandal. The lack of support from fellow bishops has exacerbated Hartley's feelings of isolation as the public response has largely been supportive of her stance against the mishandling of abuse claims. In response to Hartley's concerns, the Church of England has stated that its national safeguarding team is assessing new information from the Makin report to determine if any ongoing safeguarding risks exist and whether disciplinary actions should be taken against individuals named in the report. Some clergy members have already been asked to step back from their ministries while these matters are reviewed.