Dame Sarah Mullally Appointed as Pioneering Female Archbishop of Canterbury
The Church of England has selected Sarah Mullally as the inaugural woman leader of the Church of England, with the government confirming the 106th archbishop of Canterbury shortly after a year since Justin Welby’s resignation following a safeguarding controversy.
This is the initial occasion an leader of the Anglican church has been selected since the Church of England opened the episcopate to women in 2014.
The top cleric is considered the religious head of the Anglican church worldwide and they also have a seat in the House of Lords.
The Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York took on most of the responsibilities during the transition period, and was one of the voting members of the body charged with choosing Welby’s successor.
The appointments commission had to agree to the new appointment by a two-thirds consensus. After agreement, in line with tradition, the process involves a name being given to the PM, currently Keir Starmer and then passed to the monarch.
Mullally will not legally take on the role until a formal endorsement in January, with an installation ceremony scheduled afterward, after homage is rendered to the monarch.
