Sarah Mullally yesterday was confirmed as the Archbishop of Canterbury, in a legal ceremony making her the first woman to lead the Church of England. Source: Crux.
The worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes the Episcopal Church in the US, has no formal head, but the archbishop traditionally has been seen as its spiritual leader.
As the choir sang an anthem by Edward Elgar, the cancer nurse turned cleric officially took up the responsibilities of her new job as bewigged judges presided over a legal ceremony confirming her appointment, which was announced almost four months ago.
As the lengthy process came to a close and her election was confirmed, Archbishop Mullally, 63, stood and faced the congregation to loud applause.
“We welcome you,” the bishops surrounding her shouted in unison.
The so-called Confirmation of Election service marks a major milestone for the Church of England, which ordained its first female priests in 1994 and its first female bishop in 2015. The church traces its roots to the 16th century, when the English church broke away from the Catholic Church during the reign of King Henry VIII.
But Archbishop Mullally’s appointment may deepen rifts within the Anglican Communion, whose 100 million members in 165 countries are deeply divided over issues such as the role of women and the treatment of LGBTQ people.
She will also have to confront concerns that the Church of England hasn’t done enough to stamp out the sexual abuse scandals that have dogged it for more than a decade.
Gafcon, a global organisation of conservative Anglicans, says Archbishop Mullally’s appointment is divisive because a majority of the Anglican Communion still believes only men should be bishops.
Rwandan Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, chairman of the Gafcon council of senior bishops, known as primates, also criticised her support for the blessing of same-sex marriages.
But there is still one more step in the long process of appointing the new archbishop.
On March 25, at Canterbury Cathedral, Archbishop Mullally will be formally installed as bishop of the diocese of Canterbury in a ceremony marking the beginning of her new role. After that, her public-facing ministry begins.
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Sarah Mullally confirmed as archbishop of Canterbury, first woman to lead the Church of England (By Danica Kirka, Associated Press via Crux)
