UNITED KINGDOM
The Guardian
Press Association
Thursday 28 May 2015
The Methodist Church in Britain has apologised for failing to protect children and adults after an investigation uncovered nearly 2,000 reports of physical and sexual abuse within the institution dating to 1950.
The MCB, which published the findings of the independent inquiry on Thursday, said it wanted to be open about the past and to have stronger safeguarding procedures in the future.
Rev Dr Martyn Atkins, its general secretary and secretary of the Methodist Conference, said: “On behalf of the Methodist Church in Britain, I want to express an unreserved apology for the failure of its current and earlier processes fully to protect children, young people and adults from physical and sexual abuse inflicted by some ministers in Full Connexion and members of the Methodist Church. That abuse has been inflicted by some Methodists on children, young people and adults is and will remain a deep source of grief and shame to the church.”
He described it as “deeply regrettable” that the church had “not always listened properly to those abused” nor had it always cared for them. “In respect of these things we have, as a Christian church, clearly failed to live in ways that glorify God and honour Christ,” he said. “I am certain that the Methodist Conference will want to resolve to do all in its power to improve its systems to protect children, young people and adults from abuse within the life of the church and on church premises, and to review them diligently on a regular basis.”
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