UNITED KINGDOM
God Discussion
The Catholic Church is not the only church to face child sexual abuse scandals. In the wake of child sexual abuse scandals within the Catholic Church, the Church of England began facing new allegations of failing to protect children after accusations that the former Archbishop of York failed to report child sexual abuse to senior clergy.
Lord Hope of Thornes, the former archbishop, said he stripped the Very Rev Robert Waddington, a former dean of Manchester cathedral who was once in charge of church schools, of his right to conduct church services after allegations of child abuse against him. But Hope said he did not report the matter to the police or other child protection agencies because he deemed Waddington did not pose a further risk to children.
The Times and the Australian newspapers discovered these allegations of child sexual abuse, which date back to 1999 and 2003, after an investigation. The joint investigation of the two newspapers discovered files that showed Hope was aware of the allegations in during those years and made no reports, covering up the incidents.
The Office of the Archbishop of York confirmed it was aware of legal action by an alleged victim. Dean died in 2007. The controversy comes after a report published earlier this month, ordered by former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, warned the church risked a ticking “time bomb” if it failed to take urgent action to prevent further incidents of child abuse.
These allegations and cover-ups, which Hope denies, now places responsibility of dealing with the history of child sexual abuse on the newly ordain Archbishop Justin Welby, as well as same-sex marriages and ordaining women.
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