Sexual abuse: Beware of wolves in sheep’s skin

John Smyth was a Canadian born barrister and an evangelist who ran Christian camps in South Africa, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom in the 1980s. 

The same man has also been found to be the most prolific serial abuser associated with the Church of England.

At these summer camps, he sexually abused boys and young men. This week, Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned his position as head of the Anglican Church after a report published on November 7 revealed that it was unlikely that he would not have known about smyth’s behaviour. 

The church believes that had Welby handled the matter sooner or after becoming aware of it in 2013, Smyth would have been apprehended for his crimes before he died in 2018. Survivors are calling for more resignations from the Church including those who actively covered up the abuses.

While Smyth perpetuated his vileness in the 1980s and has since died, this evil, abuse, especially sexual abuse of minors by wolves in sheep skin still exists. 

It is a shame that the church downplayed such a grave offence but then again, such cover-ups are quite common even in our own communities. So even as we throw daggers at Welby, let us not forget to examine our own systems and stop any form of enabling of crime. 

Resigning one’s position is a great statement to show remorse and acceptance of wrong but it can’t undo the years of abuse that went on unabated in those camps and God knows where else. Let us not wait for reports to be published to put a stop to practices that harm, and rob humanity of sanctity.

It is not uncommon these days to see advertisements for holiday camps for children and young adults of different age groups shared on social media. 

Parents who are looking to keep their children occupied during the holiday are quick to sign them up and pay whatever fee is required. While this is not to say that these camps are bad, after reading Smyth’s story it is only prudent to be cautious who you decide to hand your children to regardless of how shinny the holiday package they are offering is or how eloquently they speak about parenting. 

Of course, it would be foolhardy to think that abuse only takes place in camps or schools but to pay no mind to it would be worse.

It is good that stories such as Smyth’s are recorded because every time they are dug up, they remind us that evil still lives amongst us, maybe not particularly within the walls of the church or tents of summer camps but in the minds of men and women veiled as well-meaning members of society. 

Wherever you are, whoever you might be, don’t propagate evil by covering it up or ignoring it. Expose it now!