Displaying items by tag: George Carey

George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, has resigned from ministry at the age of 89 amid scrutiny over his handling of historical sexual abuse allegations. He did so after the BBC questioned his decision to allow David Tudor, a priest banned in the 1980s over abuse allegations, to return to ministry under supervision. Tudor was permanently banned from ministry in October after admitting to sexual misconduct. In his resignation letter, Carey expressed gratitude for his years of service and God’s faithfulness. This resignation comes soon after Justin Welby stepped down in November for failing to properly investigate abuse allegations related to Christian summer camps. Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, has also faced calls to resign for his delayed action in Tudor’s case but has defended his previous decisions, citing a lack of legal grounds for suspension until Tudor’s 2017 arrest.

Former archbishop George Carey has urged CofE bishops in the House of Lords to support a bill on assisted dying, to give a ‘dignified, compassionate’ end to life for those suffering intractable pain. This stance contrasts sharply with the current CofE leadership; Justin Welby opposes the bill, warning of potential dangers and a slippery slope. The bishops in the Lords have until now resisted such legislation, calling instead for better palliative care. Support for assisted dying, however, is growing among the public and clergy alike, with polls showing a majority of Anglicans and other religious followers backing the change. Carey has urged church leaders to listen to the experiences of the dying. Meanwhile, religious leaders from other faiths, including Islam and Catholicism, oppose the bill, citing the sanctity of life and the risk of societal pressure on vulnerable individuals to opt for assisted death.

Lord Carey has launched a judicial review against the Home Office, claiming it has discriminated against Christian Syrian refugees. He writes, ‘War in Syria has reignited. Once again refugees fill its roads in need of our compassion. Yet those from the “wrong faith” won’t find it from the British government. The UK’s resettlement of 16,000 refugees from the earlier conflict saw hardly any from the most brutalised minorities reach safety in our land. Of the refugees who came here in 2015 under the Vulnerable Persons Scheme, only 1.6% were Christians - despite being 10% of the Syrian population. The situation for Christians seeking asylum has worsened. In 2016 only 0.4% were Christians; in 2017, 0.2%. In the early part of last year none of the 1,112 refugees we took in were Christians.’