Bishop suspended over ‘failures to act’ on child abuse allegations
A BISHOP has been suspended from duty for the first time in centuries over “failures to act” on abuse allegations, as the Archbishop warned he could pose a “significant risk to children”.
The suspension of the Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Rev Christopher Lowson, followed alleged failures to adequately safeguard children and vulnerable people.
The Archbishop of Canterbury suspended him after being passed information by Lincolnshire Police. This is the first such sanction imposed on a bishop since Elizabethan times.
In a statement released yesterday, the Most Rev Justin Welby said he had obtained the consent of the Bishops of Birmingham and Worcester, the two longest-serving bishops in the Province of Canterbury, for the suspension.
He added: “If these matters are found to be proven I consider that the bishop would present a significant risk of harm by not adequately safeguarding children and vulnerable people.”
The Archbishop stressed that there had been no allegation that Bishop Lowson had committed abuse of a child or vulnerable adult and that his suspension was “a neutral act”. He added that nothing further could be said while matters were investigated.
Bishop Lowson, who has been in his role since 2011, said that he has been left “bewildered by the suspension”.
However, last month it emerged that the Very Rev Christine Wilson, the first female Dean of Lincoln Cathedral, had taken a leave of absence for “personal reasons”, amid an investigation believed to be linked to failures to protect vulnerable adults. At the same time, the Chancellor Rev Canon Dr Paul Overend left his post after 14 months.
A few days later, a BBC Panorama investigation found that two former Bishops of Lincoln failed to act at the time when informed of alleged abuse.
It revealed the names of 53 Lincoln Diocese clergy and staff were passed to police amid concerns over the handling of historic allegations of abuse. Three people were later convicted.
The Bishop of Lincoln said that he would fully cooperate with authorities: “For the sake of the diocese and the wider Church, I would like this to be investigated as quickly as possible to bring the matter to a swift conclusion.”