Olushola Omogbehin
A woman, Sarah Mullally, has been named to the post of Archbishop of Canterbury for the first time in the history of the Church of England.
Mullally is the first female Archbishop of Canterbury to be chosen since women were allowed to become bishops in 2014.
As the spiritual leader of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury heads a global Anglican community of around 85 million people, across 165 countries.
The role of Archbishop of Canterbury has been vacant for almost a year after the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby resigned in November 2024 over his failure to report prolific child abuser John Smyth, who was accused of attacking dozens of boys, including those he met at Christian camps, in the 1970s and 1980s.
Candidates for the Archbishop of Canterbury are chosen by the Crown Nominations Commission, a body chaired by Jonathan Evans, the former head of MI5, Britain’s domestic security service. The commission, comprising 17 voting members, decide on a preferred candidate, to whom Prime Minister Keir Starmer then gives his assent.
Announcing Mullally’s appointment, Evans thanked the members of the public who shared their views on the direction of the church in a public consultation earlier this year. “I shall be praying for Bishop Sarah as she prepares to take up this new ministry in the coming months,” he said.
Mullally’s elevation to archbishop was only possible due to reforms under Justin Welby, the former leader, who allowed women to be consecrated as bishops a decade ago.
In a statement following her appointment, Mullally said: “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.
“At every stage of that journey, through my nursing career and Christian ministry, I have learned to listen deeply to people and to God’s gentle prompting to seek to bring people together to find hope and healing.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Mullally’s appointment, saying she would play “a key role in our national life.”
“The Church of England is of profound importance to this country. Its churches, cathedrals, schools, and charities are part of the fabric of our communities.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most public face of an institution that has struggled to stay relevant in a more secular nation. The archbishop is often called on to speak at significant national moments, presiding over major royal events, including the recent coronation of King Charles.
