Dame Sarah Mullally to Become First Female Archbishop of Canterbury
South-East England – The Church of England has named Dame Sarah Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, a historic appointment that will make her the first woman to hold the Church's most senior position. A former chief nursing officer for England, she will succeed Justin Welby, who stepped down last year over his handling of a major child abuse scandal.
Dame Sarah, currently the Bishop of London, is now the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate. Her position will be formally confirmed in a legal ceremony expected in the coming months, officially making her the 106th archbishop and the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Her appointment comes at a turbulent time for the Church, which is grappling with the fallout from safeguarding failures, deep internal divisions over blessings for same-sex couples, and declining service attendances that have yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels.
While she is breaking one of the highest glass ceilings in the Church, Dame Sarah is viewed by many as a, "safe pair of hands", given her extensive experience in both the clergy and public service. She was ordained in 2001 and left her government post as chief nursing officer at the Department of Health in 2004 to take up a full-time ministry. In 2005, she was made a Dame in recognition of her outstanding contribution to nursing and midwifery.
Upon being named Bishop of London in 2017, she reflected on her dual careers, stating she has, "always had one vocation: to follow Jesus Christ".
"I am often asked what it has been like to have had two careers, first in the NHS and now in the Church," she said at the time. "I prefer to think that I have always had one vocation... always seeking to live with compassion in the service of others, whether as a nurse, a priest, or a bishop".
Her appointment represents a significant milestone in the Church's journey towards gender equality, following the consecration of Libby Lane as the first female bishop in 2015.
As a senior bishop, Dame Sarah has held a seat in the House of Lords since 2018, where she has been an active voice on national issues. She is a strong opponent of the assisted dying Bill currently being debated, telling the Lords last month that, "choice is an illusion", in such matters and that, "no amendments to this Bill can safeguard us completely from its negative effects".
On the contentious issue of same-sex blessings, Dame Sarah is seen as a progressive voice. After the General Synod voted to approve the blessings in 2023, she called it a, "moment of hope for the Church", while acknowledging the deep divisions. "I know that what we have proposed as a way forward does not go nearly far enough for many but too far for others", she said.
Dame Sarah will now be tasked with steering the institution through these complex challenges, bringing her unique background in healthcare and ministry to a role that demands both spiritual leadership and steady administrative oversight.
Dame Sarah, currently the Bishop of London, is now the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate. Her position will be formally confirmed in a legal ceremony expected in the coming months, officially making her the 106th archbishop and the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
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| Church of England (A.I. Image) |
Her appointment comes at a turbulent time for the Church, which is grappling with the fallout from safeguarding failures, deep internal divisions over blessings for same-sex couples, and declining service attendances that have yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels.
While she is breaking one of the highest glass ceilings in the Church, Dame Sarah is viewed by many as a, "safe pair of hands", given her extensive experience in both the clergy and public service. She was ordained in 2001 and left her government post as chief nursing officer at the Department of Health in 2004 to take up a full-time ministry. In 2005, she was made a Dame in recognition of her outstanding contribution to nursing and midwifery.
Upon being named Bishop of London in 2017, she reflected on her dual careers, stating she has, "always had one vocation: to follow Jesus Christ".
"I am often asked what it has been like to have had two careers, first in the NHS and now in the Church," she said at the time. "I prefer to think that I have always had one vocation... always seeking to live with compassion in the service of others, whether as a nurse, a priest, or a bishop".
Her appointment represents a significant milestone in the Church's journey towards gender equality, following the consecration of Libby Lane as the first female bishop in 2015.
As a senior bishop, Dame Sarah has held a seat in the House of Lords since 2018, where she has been an active voice on national issues. She is a strong opponent of the assisted dying Bill currently being debated, telling the Lords last month that, "choice is an illusion", in such matters and that, "no amendments to this Bill can safeguard us completely from its negative effects".
On the contentious issue of same-sex blessings, Dame Sarah is seen as a progressive voice. After the General Synod voted to approve the blessings in 2023, she called it a, "moment of hope for the Church", while acknowledging the deep divisions. "I know that what we have proposed as a way forward does not go nearly far enough for many but too far for others", she said.
Dame Sarah will now be tasked with steering the institution through these complex challenges, bringing her unique background in healthcare and ministry to a role that demands both spiritual leadership and steady administrative oversight.
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