Jeremy Dowling, a lay preacher, school teacher and church employee, abused young boys in the 1970s and was jailed in 2015.
A review by the Diocese of Truro said several bishops were told about the abuse and did not act.
It found there was a “probable misunderstanding” by church leaders over a decision by the authorities not to prosecute Dowling in the 1970s.
Dowling became a member of general synod in 1977 and was communications officer for the Diocese of Truro from 2003 to 2009.
The school in Cornwall where Dowling carried out the abuse is not identified in the report.
But in September 1972 an unnamed canon, who was chairman of the board of governors, wrote to Bishop of Truro Maurice Key to inform him Dowling had admitted some sexual offences against boys and offered to resign.
In reply, the bishop said: “It is terribly said that his should have happened, not only because it is a tragedy for Jeremy Dowling, but it can be a real blow for the school and the Church.
“The devil is certainly a master at attacking where he can do most harm.”
The following December the director of public prosecutions decided not to prosecute Dowling.
The diocese review noted “the level of corroborative evidence to bring a successful prosecution of sexual abuse against a child was extremely high” but said the Church had “its own responsibilities to judge such behaviour”.
The review said…
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