London:
The Bishop of Liverpool, John Pemberton, has resigned from his position on January 30, 2025, following allegations of sexual assault and harassment. This announcement came a day after he was accused of assaulting a woman and harassing another bishop.
While Pemberton denied all allegations, senior leaders of the Liverpool Diocese issued a statement on Wednesday stating that his position had become “untenable” and urged him to “step down from all ministries in the Liverpool Diocese until the investigation is concluded.”
In his resignation letter, Pemberton said, “Since these allegations were made, I have always stated that I did nothing wrong and will continue to say so. I do not want this story to cause distress for this wonderful diocese and its people, whom I have had the honor of serving. This resignation is not based on any admission of guilt or responsibility.”
Meanwhile, the Liverpool Diocese supported his resignation, saying in their statement, “This is an extremely painful situation, and we keep all those involved in our prayers. We will continue to support those affected by this story and stand by our clergy, congregations, and staff to ensure their ministry continues.”
This incident comes amid a series of sexual abuse scandals within the Church of England. In November 2024, the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned from his position as the Archbishop of Canterbury after mishandling a child abuse case.
