Archbishop of York Calls for Action and Reflection in Christmas Sermon Amid Abuse Scandals
As the Church of England grapples with serious criticisms regarding its handling of abuse cases, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell is set to deliver a Christmas sermon emphasizing the need for actions over hollow words. Cottrell, who will take on the role of temporary leader of the Church in January, is expected to urge a spirit of "penitence and adoration" within the Church this Christmas season.
The need for accountability has intensified following the resignation of Justin Welby, the outgoing archbishop of Canterbury, after the Makin report revealed the Church’s failure to address historic abuses by lay reader John Smyth, who targeted 130 boys and young men across multiple countries over decades. The report implied that justice might have been achieved had Welby reported Smyth to the police back in 2013 when allegations first surfaced.
Compounding the Church’s predicament, Cottrell himself has faced calls for resignation over revelations related to another priest, David Tudor, who was reportedly appointed twice under Cottrell’s supervision as bishop of Chelmsford. Victims of Tudor have criticized Cottrell’s handling of the situation as “insulting and upsetting,” leading to discussions about the inevitability of his departure.
Despite these challenges, Cottrell plans to remind the congregation of the true essence of Christmas, focusing on the vulnerable child at its center and emphasizing the importance of serving the needy—those suffering from abuse and oppression.
Cottrell is expected to assert that the Church must move beyond rhetoric, insisting, “Don’t just talk about justice…Show me.” As the Church of England faces scrutiny, the call for substantive change echoes louder than ever, with the path towards new leadership likely to be long and fraught, as an announcement for Welby’s successor may not come until autumn 2025.
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