The sudden and unprecedented resignation of its moderator, Rev. Trevor Gribben, has left the church grappling with the scale of its own safeguarding failures and facing an uncertain reckoning over what happens next, according to the BBC.

Gribben announced on Nov. 12 that he will step down following an internal investigation which uncovered "serious and significant failings" in the church's safeguarding functions spanning more than a decade.

"Although not directly responsible for the professional delivery of safeguarding within the Church...I have decided it would be best at this time for me to step aside from my current role as Moderator of the General Assembly, the Church's chief public representative," Gribben said in a statement.

On Nov. 17, the PCI said that it welcomes the investigation announced today by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and will co-operate fully with it.

A spokesperson for the church said, however, "As a consequence of the PSNI's announcement today of their investigation, we will not be able to make any further comment related to the inquiry or aspects pertaining to it."

The Police Service Northern Ireland has said it will examine incidents that occurred from 2009 to 2022, and will "ensure perpetrators are held to account."

After Gribben's announcement, a statement was read to all congregations in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland on behalf of Rev David Allen, the Acting Clerk of the General Assembly, announcing that a special meeting of the Church's General Assembly will be held in December.

What began as an internal investigation has grown into a crisis, shaking confidence in the church's governance, its leadership and its willingness to confront uncomfortable truths.

But as the questions have multiplied since a press conference on the resignation with church authorities have been unable or unwilling to provide answers.

Gribben's resignation triggered a turbulent week for the church.

Rev. Allen said the church had initiated an investigation after receiving information from the police in May.

         - CONVICTED FORMER TEACHER

The BBC said on Nov. 15 that it is believed a former teacher who was convicted of child sex offences is one individual who sparked "safeguarding concerns."

William Maher, from Belfast, was given a two-year sentence, with half to be served in prison and half out on licence, after admitting three charges of inciting two different children under the age of 13 into sexual activity.

BBC News NI  reported it understands Maher was a volunteer youth worker with the Presbyterian Church.

The situation has been made even more turbulent by the suggestion that earlier warnings about safeguarding issues were not taken seriously.

Ian Elliott, an independent safeguarding expert who was invited to advise the PCI as part of a previous review panel, said he raised concerns about a failing culture of safeguarding in 2023, but those concerns were effectively set aside.

The timeline of his claim also directly challenges the church's current narrative, that the scale of the issue only came to light in May 2025.

On Sunday, a statement was read to all congregations in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland on behalf of Rev. David Allen. It said that a special meeting of the Church's general assembly will be held in December.

According to RTE, the Irish broadcaster, the latest census figures show around 22,000 Presbyterians in the Irish Republic, predominantly in the border counties and Dublin.

The numbers in Northern Ireland stand at 316,000. "It is a faith with significant reach, though obviously not all are churchgoers," said RTE.

According to Wikipedia, the PCI is the largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland.

Presbyterians in Northern Ireland trace their history back to 1610.

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is a founding member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, which preceded the formation of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), a grouping representing more than 80 million Christians worldwide.