Justin Welby says he 'forgives' John Smyth

I agree with many of these posts.

The point about him being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers - he had a golden opportunity to deal with the whole issue.

Or certainly to delegate.

I am a member of a different denomination.
I always think there is a lost opportunity with delegation.

Jesus himself had 12 Disciples.
And 72 others.
84 in total.

Fancy that ………Jesus himself had 12 Disciples and 72 others.
Who were they?

I didnt know whether to call them the 70 or the 72

In Luke 10:1, Jesus appoints "seventy-two others" (or sometimes "seventy") and sends them out in pairs to every town and place where he himself was about to go, to proclaim the kingdom of God and heal the sick

I watched his interview with Laura Kuenssberg this morning. He’s a pompous, arrogant man with no self awareness. He needs to fade into obscurity and stay away from tv cameras.

I can’t put down here just how I feel. Disgusted!

Thank you Fancythat

Justin Welby has struck rock bottom in my estimation. How he ever become Archbishop I don’t know? He is a total disgrace.

My lovely godson is a Reverend Canon in the C of E and he doesn’t suffer fools gladly. When I see him next I will be telling him of my strong negative feelings about JW and I expect him to be equally strong in his condemnation.

I agree Delila, but if someone's to be criticised for what they've said then it's important that that criticism is based on what was said, and not what the papers say was said.

Smileless2012

I agree Delila, but if someone's to be criticised for what they've said then it's important that that criticism is based on what was said, and not what the papers say was said.

Smileless2012 is correct.

What is said is very important, apart from wrong behaviour.

But will people forgive Welby? .........

I also saw the interview, and as others have said, Welby was at pains to say that forgiveness wasn't in his gift.

He had to say that Smyth could be forgiven, as that is a core tent of the faith that he represented for so long, but he qualified it immediately.

I agree that the interview was a car crash, and that he was foolish to do it, but he clearly enjoys the limelight. Odious man.

I met & worked for people such as He, whilst working as a gardener in a rather precious village in my county.
They are as a whole quite a breed unto themselves!
A bit \very odd indeed! 🤔

NanKate I would love to hear your godson’s opinion, please report back to us.

A long article in the DM today discussing the current rise of third rate conformists to positions of authoritythroughout the country, but especially in those positions in government and public affairs, of whom Welby is one.

Justin Welby was peeved that his "head had to roll" over the abuse claims. He made a lot of excuses about too much to cope with and did nothing allowing the abuse to go on.
He really has no right to forgive anyone. Can anyone forgive him.

As already said by others, it’s not the place of Justin Welby to forgive him - how arrogant he is.

Justin Welby has the right to forgive anyone he feels has hurt him, we all have that right, I doubt he was forgiving harm done
to others

I agree with youAnnie that is how I understood what Justin Welby meant.

Forgiving is not forgetting. It's remembering and letting go.

Aldom

Forgiving is not forgetting. It's remembering and letting go.

Thank you, Aldom, I have never understood what forgetting meant, I even started a thread on it once, and was still none the wiser. You have encapsulated it perfectly.

I really don’t know why he thinks he is still relevant .I would have thought he would want keep a low profile after his resignation and the mess he made of his handling of the abuse by Smyth the last thing he would want to do is give a high profile TV interview.
As for saying he would forgive Smyth his answer should have been it’s not for me to forgive him only Christ and the children he abused can do that.

He did not say he forgave the abuse

You get your good & bad in every religion.

Do the abuse victims forgive Smyth?
Do the abuse victims forgive Welby?
Whether or why Welby forgives anyone (and he clearly stated that if Smyth was still alive and he met him then he, Welby, would forgive the serial sadistic child abuser) is entirely irrelevant. He shouldn't be given air time, absolutely disgusting individual, remaining in the public eye, not supporting the victims and desperately trying to keep himself "relevant".

If what Lixy says is true and he answered a direct question with "yes" but also the proviso that it's not for him to forgive, that is for the victims to make their individual decisions on, then I think more of him than if he had said "no".
He indutably suffered because of this man's actions so to that extent, he can forgive.