The Church of England's second-highest-ranking official, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, has called for repentance and transformation within the institution as it grapples with the fallout

from child abuse cover-up scandals. His appeal comes in a Christmas sermon to be delivered on Wednesday at York Minster.

The festive season has been marred by controversies surrounding the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in November. Welby stepped down following a report accusing him of failing to address the actions of prolific sex abuser John Smyth. Meanwhile, Cottrell himself has faced criticism over separate safeguarding failures.

The Church of England, which oversees 16,000 congregations in England and serves as the mother church for 85 million Anglicans across 165 countries, is under intense scrutiny.

"At this moment, God's Church must come to the manger, strip away its adornments, and kneel in humility and adoration," Cottrell will say, according to excerpts of his sermon released by his office. "This Christmas, the Church needs to be transformed."

Welby’s exit and ongoing safeguarding concerns

Welby, who will not deliver the main Christmas sermon at Canterbury Cathedral this year, is set to conclude his duties by January 6. The process to select his successor is expected to take up to six months.

Cottrell, who will lead the Church in the interim, has also been embroiled in controversy. A BBC investigation revealed he allowed a priest, David Tudor, to remain in his role despite Church restrictions barring Tudor from being alone with children. Tudor had previously paid compensation to a sexual abuse victim.

Cottrell, who was the Bishop of Chelmsford at the time, has apologized for his handling of the situation, describing it as "horrible and intolerable." He stated that he suspended Tudor as soon as it was possible under the circumstances he inherited.

A call to reexamine power and vulnerability

In his sermon, Cottrell will reflect on the themes of vulnerability and power, drawing parallels to the Christmas story. "At the heart of Christmas is a vulnerable child, whom King Herod sought to destroy, unable to tolerate a rival," he will say.

He will urge the Church to learn from this example. "The Church I love and serve must look to this vulnerable child and recognize the power of love demonstrated through humility and vulnerability," he will add.

Public trust and institutional accountability

The scandals have further eroded public confidence in the Church of England. David Greenwood, a lawyer specializing in abuse cases, remarked that these revelations have "shaken trust in the Church’s ability to protect its congregants and uphold its duty of care."

The Church now faces mounting pressure to enact meaningful reforms to restore credibility and demonstrate a genuine commitment to safeguarding. Photo by Rafa Esteve, Wikimedia commons.