Archbishop’s claims against Bishop George Bell ‘irresponsible and dangerous’

Jan 18, 2018 by

by Hayley Dixon, Telegraph:

The Archbishop of Canterbury has shamed his office with “irresponsible and dangerous” claims that Bishop George Bell may have been a paedophile, leading historians have said.

In a letter to The Most Rev Justin Welby, seven eminent academics say that they have examined the allegations against the former Bishop of Chichester and there is “no credible evidence” that he sexually abused a young girl.

A damning report found late last year that the Church of England unnecessarily besmirched the character of Bishop Bell when they publicly named him in an apology made to the accuser in 2015.

The signatories to the letter, seen by the Daily Telegraph, now call on Archbishop Welby to retract comments he made in the wake of the report in which he said that a “significant cloud is left over his name”.

 Professor Sir Ian Kershaw, one of the world’s leading authorities on the Third Reich,Professor Charmian Brinson, Professor Andrew Chandler, Professor John Charmley, Professor Michael J. Hughes, Professor Jeremy Noakes and Professor Keith Robbins said in the letter: “None of us may be considered natural critics of an Archbishop of Canterbury.

“But we must also draw a firm line. The statement of 15 December 2017 seems to us both irresponsible and dangerous.

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