Andrew John, 61, the Archbishop of Wales has announced his resignation with immediate effect. John, who also said he would be standing down as Bishop of Bangor on 31 August did not give a reason for his decision, although secular media outlets have linked the move to a safeguarding review earlier this year.
The review centred on Bangor Cathedral, over which John has oversight, and highlighted a number of areas of concern.
Financial controls were found to be weak, and excessive alcohol consumption and gossip were also raised as problems within the cathedral.
Somewhat ambiguously, the review stated that Bangor Cathedral had a "culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred" and in which “promiscuity was acceptable”. Banter and innuendo in the choir reportedly left some members feeling “unsafe and marginalised” or “humiliated”.
There is no suggestion that John was involved in anything immoral or illegal. When the review was published, John described the findings as “sobering” and “hard to hear”.
Despite calls for his resignation at the time, John committed to working with the church community in Bangor to resolve all of the issues raised in the report.
John made no mention of the report or any of the issues raised by it in his resignation statement:
He said, “It has been an enormous joy to serve in the Church in Wales for over 35 years. I cannot thank you enough for the privilege of working at your side for the sake of our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Commenting on his resignation, Professor Medwin Hughes, Chair of the Representative Body of the Church in Wales, said, “The Archbishop has led the Church through a time of immense change and challenge. Throughout his time in post, has shown his deeply felt concern for the welfare, not just of the Church itself, but of our society and the world as a whole.”
