Woman appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in historic first

LONDON: For the first time in the Church of England ’s 491-year history, a woman has been appointed to lead it.

On Friday Downing Street announced that Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally , 63, who became a Christian aged 16, would be the successor to Justin Welby who resigned in Jan over his handling of a child sex abuse scandal.

Currently known as the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate, she will legally become the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury at her confirmation of election at St Paul’s Cathedral in Jan 2026, with a service of installation taking place at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026.

Mullally has been Bishop of London since 2018, the first woman appointed to that role too. Prior to her ordination in 2001, she was chief nursing officer for England — the youngest person ever to be appointed to that role at the age of 37 — having previously specialised as a cancer nurse.

The Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) for Canterbury nominated Mullaly following a process of public consultation and prayerful discernment that began in Feb. The CNC was made up of representatives from the Church of England, global Anglican Communion and the Diocese of Canterbury.

The most senior bishop in the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s ministry combines many roles, including serving as primus inter pares — or first among equals — of the Primates of the global Anglican Communion, which consists of around 85 million people, across 165 countries, including India. The Archbishop of Canterbury also sits in the House of Lords.

Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, commended the appointment and called on the Roman Catholic Church to follow suit. Quoting Hindu scriptures, he said: “ Where women are honoured, there the Gods are pleased.”

But Gafcon, a movement of Conservative global Anglicans, which is opposed to the ordination of women to holy orders, said it did not accept Mullaly as leader. “Since the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury has failed to guard the faith and is complicit in introducing practices and beliefs that violate both the plain and canonical sense of Scripture and the Church’s historic and consensual interpretation of it, she cannot provide leadership to the Anglican Communion,” said Dr Laurent Mbanda, chairman, Gafcon Primates Council. “The majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy.”