By Muvija M
Stephen Cottrell of the Church of England is calling for a Christmas sermon to repent and make changes at the institution that has covered up the scandals of covering up child abuse.
This year's celebrations were overshadowed by the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby over allegations of further failings to protect Cottrell, who is Archbishop of York.
In addition to its 16,000 churches in England, the Church, which traces its roots to the Roman Empire, is also the main church for 85 million Anglicans in more than 165 countries.
“Right now, this Christmas, the Church of God itself must come to the ark and take off its glory and kneel in penance and worship. And be changed,” Cottrell will speak at York Minster in northern England, according to excerpts shared by his office. .
Welby, who stepped down in November after reports that he failed to do enough to stop sex offender John Smyth, will not deliver the main Christmas sermon in Canterbury Cathedral's history.
“At the center of the Christmas story is a vulnerable child; “a vulnerable child that (King) Herod's anger will try to destroy, because like every villain he cannot stand up to an opponent,” Cottrell said.
“The Church of England – the Church of England that I love and serve – must look after this child in danger, by giving out the power to show the power of love, because in this child in danger we see God.”
Welby is due to complete his official duties on Jan. 6, and the process of choosing his successor is expected to take up to six months.
Cottrell, who will run the Church effectively until then, has faced calls to resign after a BBC report that he allowed the priest David Tudor to keep his job despite knowing the Church had banned him from being alone with children and paying compensation to a victim of sexual abuse.
Cottrell apologized for not being able to act sooner when he was bishop of Chelmsford, saying the situation he inherited was “bad and intolerable” and suspended Tudor immediately.
The British public, increasingly religious and church-going, was very critical.
David Greenwood, a lawyer working on abuse claims, said in a statement that the revelations had “shaken confidence in the Church's ability to protect its parishioners and maintain its duty of care”.