The news of Archbishop Justin Welby’s resignation at the end of last year sent ripples across the wider church. The news broke in the week leading up to Safeguarding Sunday where thousands of UK churches had already planned to shine a spotlight on the very issues that led to his resignation.
For some, the resignation was welcome news, for others it has raised concerns. But perhaps we can all agree that the safeguarding issues that have come to light are devastating, and we pray for all victims and survivors seeking healing and justice.
Regardless of denomination or tradition, the resignation of a high-ranking leader, such as Welby, should not simply be seen as a moment of transition, but rather as a clarion call to meaningful change. Now is the time for churches to have an urgent and honest conversation about the church’s ability to protect people from harm, its culture, and how it is held accountable.
This moment offers a crucial opportunity for us to collectively prioritise safeguarding, examine our safeguarding practices, recommit to the safety and well-being of the most vulnerable within our care and choose to take better care of victims and survivors.
It could be easy to consider that the Archbishop’s reasons for resignation aren’t a problem in our churches. But sadly harm and abuse happen in all denominations and church groups.
God has a heart to protect the most vulnerable in society. It’s time for churches to talk about safeguarding with honesty and vulnerability. We must embrace the truth that safeguarding is not merely a set of processes or activities, but is in fact wisdom.
Our cultures should reflect that wisdom – creating places of safety. To exercise that wisdom, we must be courageous enough to look thoroughly at our churches and recognise what we can do better. Building on many existing good practices, together we must continue to be proactive in fostering healthy cultures that recognise and address the potential for harm before it occurs.
This means addressing hierarchical structures, holding leaders accountable, regularly reviewing safeguarding practices, offering training for volunteers and staff, and building a community where everyone feels empowered to speak up. Until everyone in our churches understands that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, our churches are not safe places.
We’ve repeatedly heard that many Christians see safeguarding as a barrier to ministry; that it gets in the way of mission, with bureaucratic tick-box exercises. But we believe that as Christians, safeguarding isn’t something we do, it’s who we are. We are called to love, and love protects and does not dishonour others (1 Cor. 13). A church that truly loves is a church striving to be safe. It should be our mission to be a refuge, a sanctuary, and a space for the hurting to find healing.
The legacy of Archbishop Justin’s resignation should mark a decisive turning point in the church’s approach to safeguarding. This is a pivotal moment for a cultural shift across the whole church, where safeguarding and the experiences of victims and survivors are treated as a priority, not an afterthought.
We now have an opportunity to transform ourselves into safer places, that truly value the protection and dignity of all people. Together we can create a church where every child and adult is, and feels, safe.
