Can the Church of England be trusted to deliver us from evil?

THE CHURCH of England is facing a day of reckoning over historical sex abuse claims that have shattered trust in its leadership.

- GILES SHELDRICK

It once stood as a beacon of hope to those who were lost, lonely and in need - but could 2025 be the nadir of its 1,500-year existence? This week has seen days of tense meetings at the general synod - effectively its internal parliament as bitter recriminations over its catastrophic failures in protecting children dominated discussions.

It is the first time senior figures have gathered since Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was forced to quit in disgrace.

The principal leader of the Church of England resigned after an independent probe exposed a cover-up regarding the barrister, Christian camp leader and serial abuser John Smyth. It concluded he might have been brought to justice had Mr Welby bothered to come forward to police before the abuser met his maker.

Moderniser

Mr Welby formally stepped down last month, but his departure unleashed civil war in the Church he once led as clergy face shame over failure to safeguard its flock.

One fifth of members of the synod do not want liberal moderniser The Most Rev Stephen Cottrell to replace him.

The Archbishop of York has been the Church of England's de facto temporary leader but has himself faced calls to resign.

He has come under pressure, accused of not acting quickly enough in his then-role as Bishop of Chelmsford, over priest David Tudor, who was allowed to remain in post despite having been barred by the Church from being alone with children and paying compensation to a sexual abuse victim.

This week the Church parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of an overhaul of a process to discipline clergy - five years after first concluding the current system was "overly legalistic, slow, and burdensome".

The new system includes investigations into serious misconduct cases being overseen by a professional team of investigators and lawyers, while bishops will have statutory duties to ensure support for all those affected by a complaint.