On Tuesday the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby announced his resignation. This followed the publication of the Makin Review, an independent report commissioned by the Church into the abuse of more than 100 boys in UK and in Africa in the 1970s-2010s. The abuser, John Smyth was a QC and a Reader in the Church of England, who groomed his victims from among schoolboys connected with the evangelical Iwerne summer camps in UK and later with young men in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The report concludes that there is ‘clear evidence’ that a number of church leaders connected with the Iwerne camps knew about the abuse and covered it up for many years. It also finds that Archbishop Justin was made aware of the scale of the abuse in 2013 but failed to report Smyth to relevant authorities, enabling him to continue his abuse in Africa until 2017.  

We grieve the shame this has brought to the Lord’s name. We are rightly shocked by all that this report has uncovered. But those individuals most profoundly affected by these tragic events are, of course, John Smyth’s victims, both in the UK and southern Africa. May we keep them in our prayers over these days. Pray too for all those named in the report and their families.  

What does this mean for All Saints?
Following a previous report into abuse committed elsewhere, All Saints PCC conducted a review of our own church culture in 2021-23 and continues to monitor this regularly. I hope that we all consider it our Christian responsibility to be committed to best practice in safeguarding. Working with Sarah Hagger and our Safeguarding Management Group, Jennie Herring (our Parish Safeguarding Officer) and I are regularly in contact with Chichester Diocese’s Safeguarding Advisory Team about best practice and any specific queries we may have. We  always follow their advice. Jennie and I had already planned that over the next two Sundays she would remind the congregations of her role among us. If you have any concerns that might relate to safeguarding at All Saints, please contact Jennie or me. 

Reports of abuse may trigger long-held suffering and pain if you have experienced abuse yourself here or in another context. If that it so, please know that you are loved and that any disclosure you make will be treated very seriously. Please speak to Jennie, one of the clergy or someone who you know. Jennie’s contact details (along with those of other safeguarding organisations) are on display on the safeguarding notices throughout our buildings and on our website.

Steve Nichols, Vicar

November 2024