Sopuruchi Onwuka

A major gender stereotype is about to be shattered in the Anglican Church as a woman waits to be ordained the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the highest-ranking cleric of the Church of England.

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King Charles III of the United Kingdom nominated Sarah Mullally, 63, the Bishop of London, as the successor to Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury who resigned on the October 3 amid allegations of covering up sexual abuse.

With the nomination which signals control of the Church of England by the monarchy, Sarah Mullally would now leading 85 million Anglican followers worldwide, breaking a 500 year tradition that bars women from attaining the head the world’s most populated orthodox church.

The church operates independently in each country. It is locally called the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion); but the nominal head of the Church of England is the monarch.

The ordination of Sarah will mark the first time a female leader has headed the Church of England since King Henry VIII declared the Act of Supremacy in 1534, breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church and establishing the foundations of the Anglican Communion. Sarah would now lead the Church of England in practice and serves as the spiritual and symbolic leader of the global Anglican Communion.

Sarah Mullally started as ordained priest in 2002 before she was appointed the first female Bishop of London in 2018, the fifth-highest position in the Church of England. Mullally gave up her nursing career in 2004 after becoming the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for the region of England from 1999 to focus on pastoral work.

In a speech at Canterbury Cathedral following her nomination, Mullally stated regarding her historic appointment as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, “This is a joyful historic moment for many people,” adding, “I share this joy not for myself, but for a church that listens to God’s call and says, ‘Yes, I will follow the Lord.’”

Regarding the significance of a woman leading the Anglican Communion, she said, “I want to be a shepherd who helps everyone’s ministry and vocation to flourish regardless of tradition,” and added, “I express my gratitude to all men and women, laypeople and clergy, priests and bishops, and all women who passed away before me for paving the way for this moment.”

Mullally mentioned that “the UK is grappling with complex moral and political issues,” citing euthanasia, refugees, and social division as current challenges. Regarding the terrorist attack on a Jewish synagogue in Manchester the previous day, she stated, “We witness hatred surging through divisions across our communities,” adding, “We must not allow any form of hatred or racism to divide us.”

Former Archbishop Welby, appointed in 2003, resigned last November amid allegations that he concealed decades of child sexual abuse by a lawyer involved in church-related activities. The Royal Recommendation Committee (CNC), chaired by former MI5 Director Jonathan Evans, vetted candidates for nearly a year after Welby’s resignation and recommended Mullally to King Charles III.

Mullally has expressed progressive views, including support for the church’s blessing of same-sex marriages. Reuters reported that, like her predecessors, she faces the challenging task of bridging the gap between conservatives and liberals on issues such as homosexuality within the church.

The conservative group Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) criticized, saying, “The Church of England has abandoned its leadership authority.” However, Buckingham Palace stated, “The King celebrates the appointment of Bishop Sarah as Archbishop, a very important role in the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion.”

The Anglican Church of Korea also described this appointment as a “groundbreaking event,” adding, “We look forward to the changes that new female leadership will bring to the Anglican Communion.” In a press release issued the same day, the Anglican Church of Korea stated, “This historic election will be a turning point for the entire Anglican Communion.”