The Archbishop of York is expected to stress the need for action over words in his Christmas sermon, as the Church of England faces criticism for its failure to respond to recent abuse scandals.
Stephen Cottrell, who will take over as interim leader of the Church of England in early January to replace the outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, said the church will “kneel in repentance and worship” this Christmas and “unless change is made.” It won't happen,'' he is believed to have said.
Mr Welby will be appointed to the Anglican Church next month after resigning in November over the C of E's failure to respond to a series of abuse cases involving 130 boys and young people in three countries over several decades. Officially resign from his position as de facto leader.
Mr Makin's report follows a report by barrister and Laity reader John Smith into the abuse and the failure of the Church's response, which revealed that Mr Welby was the first to respond to allegations of abuse brought against the archbishop in 2013. It concluded that justice could have been served if the case had been formally reported to the police.
But Mr Cottrell also faced calls for his resignation following revelations that another priest at the center of a sexual abuse scandal had been reappointed twice under him when he was Bishop of Chelmsford. There is. Earlier this week, Cottrell said the situation “could have been handled differently.”
Victims of David Tudor have condemned Mr Cottrell's response to the incident as “insulting and upsetting” and suggested his resignation or removal from church leadership roles is “inevitable”. .
A spokeswoman for Mr Cottrell said no one advised him at the time that Mr Tudor should not continue as regional dean, and that even if he did not continue in the role he would not be removed as parish priest. He added that it would not have happened.
Mr Cottrell's credibility has also been questioned by the Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, and the Bishop of Gloucester, Rachel Treweek, who have refused to publicly support Mr Cottrell.
“This Christmas, the church of God itself needs to come to the manger, throw off its ornaments, and kneel in repentance and worship,” Cottrell is expected to say. “And please change.
“At the heart of the Christmas story are vulnerable children. Like all tyrants, he is unable to endure his adversaries, so the weak seek to be destroyed by Herod's ferocious wrath.” I'm a child.
“The Church of England… needs to look at this vulnerable child, a situation in which the power to demonstrate the power of love is empty, because in this vulnerable child we “Because I see God,” he plans to add.
“This is what we learn from the manger: this Christmas, put the needs of others first, including those who are cold, hungry and homeless. Victims of abuse and exploitation people who, like a small holy family, have to flee oppression and seek refuge in a foreign land.”
Mr Cottrell is expected to touch on his message to the world, emphasizing the importance of deeds rather than words, adding: show me. “
The process to replace Mr Welby is expected to take several months, with an announcement about the new Archbishop of Canterbury likely to be made in the autumn of 2025.
