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Dame Sarah Mullally Appointed: First Woman to Serve as Archbishop of Canterbury In a move that marks a seismic shift in the history of the Church of England, Dame Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, has been named the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to hold the office. The appointment, confirmed by Buckingham Palace following deliberation by the Crown Nominations Commission, ends nearly 500 years of male leadership since the establishment of the Church in 1534. Dame Sarah succeeds the Right Reverend Justin Welby, who resigned earlier this year following controversy over the handling of a historic safeguarding scandal, leaving the new incumbent with immediate challenges concerning institutional trust and global unity. The elevation of Dame Sarah, 63, from the third most senior position in the Church to the spiritual leader of the 85 million-strong worldwide Anglican Communion, is seen by many as a powerful signal of change. A former career nurse who rose to become the youngest-ever Chief Nursing Officer for England, she brings a formidable record of public service and high-level leadership outside of traditional clerical hierarchies. Her background is viewed as key to navigating a Church struggling with declining domestic attendance and deep-seated divisions over safeguarding failures. The vacancy arose after Justin Welby announced his departure in January, citing the need to take “personal and institutional responsibility” for the failures highlighted in the Makin Review regarding the Church’s response to the abuse committed by the late evangelist John Smyth. Mr Welby’s resignation, though taken as an act of contrition for institutional failings, intensified scrutiny on the Church’s handling of abuse cases and made the restoration of public trust the central mission for his successor. A Path to Historic Leadership Dame Sarah Mullally’s appointment follows a period of protracted consultation and deliberation by the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC).
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She was one of the first women ordained as a priest in 1994, two decades before the Church of England approved the ordination of female bishops in 2014. She was consecrated as Bishop of Crediton in 2015 and became the Bishop of London in 2018. Speaking at Canterbury Cathedral upon the announcement, the Archbishop-designate acknowledged the solemn responsibility before her. “As I respond to the call of Christ to this new ministry, I do so in the same spirit of service to God and to others that has motivated me since I first came to faith as a teenager,” Dame Sarah stated. She also made it clear that confronting the sins of the past would be paramount, noting that the Church had “too often failed to take seriously the misuse of power in all its forms” and that safeguarding failures have “left a legacy of deep harm and mistrust. ” The appointment was widely welcomed across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered his congratulations, stating that the new Archbishop of Canterbury would “play a key role in our national life” and emphasising the profound importance of the Church of England to the country’s social fabric. Navigating Divisions: Global and Domestic While her selection is celebrated by progressive wings of the Church, particularly those advocating for gender equality, it immediately strains relations with conservative provinces within the Anglican Communion. The global Communion—which comprises 42 independent member churches—remains deeply divided over issues of sexuality, including the blessing of same-sex relationships, a practice Dame Sarah supports.
The Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon), which represents millions of conservative Anglicans, was quick to express its disapproval. The Rev. Laurent Mbanda, speaking on behalf of the group, suggested the appointment would exacerbate existing fractures. “Though there are some who will welcome the decision to appoint Bishop Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy,” Mr Mbanda said in a statement. He added that her selection would make it “impossible for the Archbishop of Canterbury to serve as a focus of unity within the Communion,” signaling a continued struggle for global cohesion. Domestically, Dame Sarah inherits a portfolio of challenging social issues. During her first address, she condemned the recent synagogue attack in Manchester on Yom Kippur, stating the church had “a responsibility to be a people who stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism in all its forms. ” She also highlighted other contentious issues, including the debate over legalising assisted dying—a bill which she has publicly opposed—and the complexities of migration. Dr Hannah Giles, a senior research fellow in theology and public policy, suggests the challenge will be multi-faceted.
“Dame Sarah’s strength lies in her experience as a public-facing leader, capable of communicating complex policy to a secular audience,” Dr Giles told BBC News. “However, her primary task is twofold: internally, she must champion and deliver genuine, trusted safeguarding reform; and externally, she must find a way to hold the increasingly fissiparous global Communion together, a task that has defeated previous archbishops. ” Outlook for the Future The official installation of Dame Sarah Mullally will take place at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026, following a confirmation of election in January. Her tenure begins at a critical juncture for the Church of England, which is seeking to redefine its role in a rapidly secularising nation while grappling with deep-seated institutional failings. Her appointment represents a clear commitment by the Church establishment to modernity and internal accountability. Yet, the long-term impact will be judged not merely on the symbolism of her gender, but on her ability to heal the wounds left by scandal, unify a disparate global network, and make the Church’s voice relevant on pressing social and ethical matters in the years ahead. It is a defining moment for the Church of England, with the weight of both history and expectation resting on the shoulders of its new spiritual leader. You can find more coverage on this historic decision in this video: Dame Sarah Mullally named as new Archbishop of Canterbury in historic first.
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