Andrew John, Archbishop of Wales, has resigned in disgrace after explosive reports exposed a cathedral mired in sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse, and financial chaos under his leadership.
At a Glance
- Andrew John abruptly resigned after two scathing investigations detailed sexual boundary violations, drunken clergy, bullying, and mismanagement at Bangor Cathedral.
- The archbishop served as Bishop of Bangor since 2008 and was elevated in 2021 to lead the Church in Wales.
- Though not personally accused of abuse, John admitted systemic failure and accepted blame.
- Church trustees declared total loss of faith in his leadership.
- His final day as Bishop of Bangor will be August 31, 2025.
Sex, Booze & Chaos Behind Cathedral Walls
Two damning reports—one by safeguarding firm ThirtyOne:Eight, the other from a church visitation—unveiled a nightmare of blurred sexual lines, drunkenness, and backstabbing gossip inside Bangor Cathedral. Clergy reportedly used “inappropriate language,” hosted booze‑soaked gatherings, and operated in a haze of unregulated spending.
John, who commissioned the reviews amid rising alarm, issued a sweeping apology, confessing that “things were not right.” He accepted responsibility for years of unchecked dysfunction and admitted he had “not always acted soon enough or decisively enough.”
Power Vacuum & Public Outrage
Trustees of the Church in Wales delivered a brutal assessment: they no longer trusted his leadership. That declaration forced John’s immediate resignation. He will vacate his bishopric in Bangor at the end of August, ending a 17‑year tenure cloaked in decay.
John’s downfall leaves both Wales and England archbishop‑free, after Justin Welby’s exit earlier this year. The twin resignations have ignited a firestorm over accountability, secrecy, and power hoarding in the Anglican establishment.
For many faithful, the reports read like an ecclesiastical crime drama—only real. Now, scrutiny is falling not just on bishops but the entire system that enabled years of cathedral dysfunction to fester behind holy walls.
