Key facts
- Bishop of Lincoln, Stephen Conway, resigned after suspension.
- Conway was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.
- A safeguarding complaint against Conway was referred to authorities.
- Conway was released on conditional bail.
- Conway became Bishop of Lincoln in 2023.
- Conway was criticized in a review of the Church of England's handling of abuser John Smyth.
The Bishop of Lincoln, Stephen Conway, has resigned after being suspended from ministry following his arrest earlier this year on suspicion of sexual assault, the Church of England said on Monday. British police confirmed in February that a 68-year-old man had been arrested as part of an investigation into an allegation that a man was sexually assaulted between 2018 and 2025. Conway was released on conditional bail.
The Church of England stated that a safeguarding complaint concerning Conway had been referred to the relevant authorities. Conway, who became Bishop of Lincoln in 2023, was among clergy criticized in an independent review into the Church of England's handling of prolific abuser John Smyth. He had stated at the time that he had done all he could within his authority.
Conway's resignation occurs as the Church continues to face scrutiny over safeguarding failures following the fallout from the Smyth review, which in 2024 led to the resignation of Justin Welby, the then-Archbishop of Canterbury. The new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, has stated her commitment to a serious and focused approach to safeguarding matters within the church, emphasizing a trauma-informed approach that prioritizes victims and survivors.