The archbishop of Canterbury has apologised after being accused of making lighthearted comments about his resignation over serious safeguarding failures in the Church of England.
In his final speech in the House of Lords on Thursday, Justin Welby had referenced a 14th-century beheading, which prompted laughter from some peers, and suggested “if you pity anyone, pity my poor diary secretary” who had seen weeks and months of work “disappear in a puff of a resignation announcement”.
The speech was criticised by a bishop who said she was “deeply disturbed” by the language used, and by an abuse survivor who said it was “tone deaf”.
Welby announced last month he was resigning from his leading role in the church “in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse” after the Makin review.
The independent review concluded that John Smyth – thought to have been the most persistent serial abuser to be associated with the church – might have been brought to justice had Welby formally reported him to police in 2013.
On Friday, Welby said he would like to “apologise wholeheartedly for the hurt” caused by his farewell speech in the House of Lords, which was made during a debate on housing and homelessness.
“I understand that my words – the things that I said, and those I omitted to say – have caused further distress for those who were traumatised, and continue to be harmed, by John Smyth’s heinous abuse and by the far-reaching effects of other perpetrators of abuse.
“It did not intend to overlook the experience of survivors or to make light of the situation – and I am very sorry for having done so.
“It remains the case that I take both personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period after 2013, and the harm that this has caused survivors.
“I continue to feel a profound sense of shame at the Church of England’s historic safeguarding failures.”
Welby had indicated in his speech that the fallout of the review required “a head to roll”.
A victim of Smyth’s abuse, who wished to remain anonymous, had said he was “appalled” by the speech, adding: “I have never come across anyone so tone deaf.”
“He has resigned in shame, burdened by the Makin review with ‘moral and personal responsibility’, and all he can do is joke about rolling heads.”
The bishop of Newcastle, Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, the only bishop to call publicly for Welby’s resignation last month, said she received “several messages from across my diocese expressing dismay at the archbishop’s speech” and that she was “deeply disturbed” by the language “a head had to roll” in the speech.