As readers probably already know Justin Welby was interviewed by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on 30 March. You can listen to the interview here, and watch it here. There has been much reporting and comment on the interview; some is below.
Laura Kuenssberg BBC Justin Welby: I failed to act on abuse scandal as scale was ‘overwhelming’
Laura Kuenssberg and Sean Seddon BBC Welby: I forgive serial abuser John Smyth
Laura Kuenssberg BBC After Justin Welby’s failures, obscurity is perhaps not his to choose
Madeleine Davies Church Times Welby looks back at his Smyth decisions and resignation in BBC interview
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Justin Welby was too ‘overwhelmed’ by scale of abuse in C of E to take action
Ben Quinn and Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Justin Welby says he forgives serial abuser John Smyth
Tim Wyatt The New Statesman The confessions of Justin Welby
Angela Tilby Church Times BBC interview shows tragedy of Welby
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Welby and Kuenssberg
Rebecca Chapman The Spectator What was the point of Justin Welby’s reconciliation interview?
Tim Wyatt The Critical Friend The scandal of grace
Andrew Brown The slow deep hover Here we go again
Douglas LeBlanc The Living Church Welby’s Interview Prompts New Backlash
I thought Tim Wyatt’s article spot on. far too easy to jump on the Welby-bashing bandwagon. Would any of us have done a better job?
I see the bandwagon is being boarded below.
I know there are homeless: but I own a home. I know there are people desperately hungry: but I choose what to have for dinner I know there are people facing injustice: but I am silent I could go on, of course. There is a long list of things I know about and which I could do something about. I might not solve them – my efforts could have miniscule effect- but I could do more than I am. In that I am no better than Welby, so no, maybe I wouldn’t have done a better job. But I didn’t… Read more »
Laus Deo
I mean Tim Wyatt”s article in the Critical Friend, not the one in The Spectator.
I have little respect for most of the other articles linked above.
Nor even Tim Wyatt in the New Statesman, perhaps Nigel?
yes, that one! I liked the Critical friend one, not the new statesman one.
Most of the articles make very pertinent points about, for example, Justin Welby’s past inability to ‘read the room’, abstract compassion for victims not matched by concrete interpersonal action, and a muddled theology of forgiveness. Welby’s public agonising suggests that he is increasingly aware of this. Angela Tilby nailed it with her customary clarity and charity: “I found it impossible not to be moved as he sat still like a prisoner, or at least as a penitent … ” Being so moved is a desirable human response, not least for the Christian community. It should, though, in no way detract… Read more »
Paraphrase: ‘I was stupid to give that final speech’ says the man who is giving an interview, and repeating his mistakes in traumatising victims and survivors by his lack of action, empathy and understanding…
A commenter on the Stephen Parsons blog describes the interview as Welby’s “Prince Andrew moment”. That nails it. It was cringeworthy and uncomfortable to watch.
It was uncomfortable to watch- was he perhaps advised to do it to ensure everyone else left was given a clear run?. But the Church of England is not a one man band Where was everyone else during JW’s tenure? His advisers, his colleagues, William Nye, the AC , and on and on. Where are they now , rushing to put things right for victims and survivors- not. Where is ABY (when not bullying the XWarrington)?
The entire picture is unedifying in the extreme
The best thing Welby could do is keep his mouth shut and avoid the limelight as much as possible. The damage he continues to do every time he opens his mouth is astounding, and I have yet to meet anyone of any churchmanship who thinks otherwise.
A thought that comes to mind when Bishop Welby was asked if he forgave John Smyth, is Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s warning about the dangers of Cheap Grace. Jonathan