Justin Welby, the former archbishop of Canterbury, admitted his shortcomings in addressing abuse within the Church of England, specifically regarding John Smyth. In an interview following his resignation, he expressed feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of unresolved abuse cases. He acknowledged that this was not an excuse for his inaction, but rather a reason for his failures. Welby reflected on the unrealistic expectations placed on leaders for perfection and the need for forgiveness in leadership roles. His resignation highlighted the significant crisis within the Church while revealing the tragic legacy of Smyth's abuses.
Every day more cases were coming across the desk that had been in the past, hadn't been dealt with adequately, and this was just, it was another case.
This was not an excuse, but a reason for his failures, he told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg. The reality is I got it wrong.
There is an absence of forgiveness; we don't treat our leaders as human. We expect them to be perfect.
If you want perfect leaders, you won't have any leaders.
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