Sarah Mullally appointed as first female Archbishop of Canterbury

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Sarah Mullally appointed as first female Archbishop of Canterbury

2 months ago

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Sarah Mullally appointed as first female Archbishop of Canterbury

Credited from: SCMP

Sarah Mullally is appointed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.
She succeeds Justin Welby, who resigned over a child abuse cover-up scandal.
Her leadership will address divisions over women's roles and LGBTQ+ rights in the Church.
Critics from conservative Anglican factions express opposition to her appointment.

Sarah Mullally has been appointed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, a historic milestone for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. This announcement, made by the UK government on October 3, marks the first time in 1,400 years that a woman has been chosen to lead this significant religious body, which oversees approximately 85 million Anglicans worldwide, according to Reuters and NPR.

Mullally, 63 years old and a former chief nursing officer for England, succeeds Justin Welby, who resigned amidst a scandal involving the cover-up of child sexual abuse. Mullally, who has also held the title of Bishop of London since 2018, will now formally take office following a confirmation of election at St. Paul's Cathedral in January 2026 and an enthronement ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026, as reported by Le Monde and Los Angeles Times.

South China Morning Post and BBC.

Mullally faces backlash from conservative factions of the Anglican community, particularly from regions in Africa, who oppose the idea of female bishops and claim her promotion could exacerbate divisions within the Church. Reverend Laurent Mbanda articulated concerns about her "revisionist teachings" on marriage and sexual morality, which have been a point of contention in the Anglican Communion, as reported by Al Jazeera and India Times.

This historic appointment follows years of gradual change within the Church of England, which allowed the ordination of women as priests in 1994 and appointed its first female bishop in 2015. Mullally's leadership heralds a new chapter as she seeks to navigate the challenges posed by declining congregational attendance and the issues stemming from recent abuse scandals, according to CBS News and India Times.