The Church of England – a safer space for abusers than for the abused
The long awaited IICSA report into 70 years of sexual abuse, cover-up and neglect of victims in the Church of England has finally been published. It has been followed by…
Cover-up
Michael Gove: “The Church has.. a critical, central and important role in building back better”
It seems somewhat counterintuitive, in an age of increasing secularity, and with an incessant stream of triumphant tweets from the National Secular Society, that the world's perception of the Church should be actually improving. And given the appalling recent scandals…
Martyn Percy is challenging an entire cultural mindset of establishment privilege
Reflecting upon the developing Dean Martyn Percy story, I called to mind the famous observation by Abraham Lincoln upon the institution of slavery which was defended at the time by…
Nobody knows Nobody’s Friends
People of a certain age might remember that the motorcycle patrolmen of the Automobile Association was once a common sight on British roads. Members sported badges on the fronts of…
Iwerne: what did David Conner (now Dean of Windsor) and others know about John Smyth’s regime of abuse?
Many years ago, I worked as a duty solicitor, undertaking day and night visits to the local police stations. There were not many on the rota and it was a…
John Smyth dies – just as the CPS gives police go-ahead for his extradition and prosecution
John Smyth, who was accused of the sadistic beatings of young men under the guise of Christian discipleship, has died at his home in Cape Town. This brings to an…
John Smyth tortured Christian boys at Iwerne – where’s the CofE inquiry?
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) hearings into the crimes and cover-up relating to Peter Ball have rightly shocked many in the Church of England, yet what may…
It is time for General Synod to protest: victims of sexual abuse deserve better than ‘adequate’
Critics of the Church of England’s responses to historic sexual abuse can be fairly generous. Consider the words of David Pearson, founder of the Child Protection Charity CCPAS, who was…
Gosport hospital deaths: when did ‘life shortened’ become a euphemism for murder?
The revelation that more than 450 patients died in a Gosport hospital after being administered an overdose of powerful painkillers is shocking and appalling. Or, in the words of Theresa…
Did Archbishop Sentamu fob off the Clergy Discipline Commission to protect bishops from allegations of misconduct?
As the police continue questioning the Most Rev'd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu over his alleged failure to respond properly to a report of clerical child abuse, here's a…
The Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team is either untruthful or incompetent (or quite possibly both)
In a robust rebuttal to Matt Ineson's account of his appalling treatment by the Church of England, the National Safeguarding Team (NST) issued the following statement (without so much as…
Abuse victim: “The cruel and inhuman treatment I have received from the National Safeguarding Team in Church House, and others in the Church of England hierarchy, makes what Peter Ball did to me pale into insignificance”
It has not been a good week for the Church of England. We were warned as much by our Lead Bishop for Safeguarding, Peter Hancock, when he led the safeguarding…
Sentamu ordered ‘no action’ against paedophile priest – leaving him to abuse again and commit suicide
The Church of England "covers up and manipulates and colludes with the abuse", so Matthew Ineson told the BBC's Inside Out programme last night (available on iPlayer until 3rd April).…
How Bishop George Bell became a victim of Church of England ‘spin’ and a narrative of ‘decisive leadership’
This is a guest post by The Very Rev’d Professor Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. _______ Some may begin to wonder how exactly the Church of England’s National…
Jayne Ozanne was raped by a priest? Which bishop told her not to report the attack?
Jayne Ozanne (who claimed to have reported this blog to the police last year for 'hate') claims to have been raped by a priest in the 1990s. She says she…
Safeguarding in the Church of England: when is a victim of child-abuse not a victim?
This is a guest post by Martin Sewell, a retired Child Protection Lawyer and a member of General Synod. ______ Yesterday I advanced a more sympathetic perspective on why Lord…
Child abuse in the Church of England: hypocrisy, inconsistency and ongoing cover-up
Child abuse is a seriously distressing matter. The violation, confusion, fear, self-loathing, guilt, depression... suicidal thoughts. It can take years and decades to come to terms with the misery and…
Justin wept over Church of England child abuse
The Archbishop of Canterbury gave a speech yesterday to the Parliamentary Press Gallery – a group made up of privileged journalists and reporters who mill around Westminster hour after…