🔗 Share this article Sarah Mullally Appointed as New Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally has been appointed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury designate - making history as the first woman to be selected for this important office. A former NHS chief nurse, the 63-year-old became a priest in 2006 and was appointed as the first female Bishop of London in 2018 - occupying the third highest position of clergy in the Church of England. This represents the initial occasion in nearly 500 years of tradition that the Church has chosen a female to guide its direction. Groundbreaking Selection The Anglican Church has been lacking an individual in the top job for almost a year after Justin Welby resigned over a safeguarding scandal. He departed following a critical investigation into a prolific child abuser linked to the Church. The report found that he "was able and obligated" have notified authorities about the misconduct by John Smyth of boys and young men to police in 2013. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell took on most of the former Archbishop's duties in an interim move, and was one of the voting members of the body tasked with choosing his successor. Political Process In line with tradition, the process of choosing a spiritual leader involves a name being presented to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and then forwarded to the monarch. Sir Keir has applauded the selection of Dame Sarah, stating: "The Archbishop of Canterbury will serve an important function in our national life. I wish her every success and anticipate collaborating." Although formally, the monarch is leader of the Church of England, the individual occupying the role of spiritual leader is the highest-ranking cleric and is the religious guide of the religious institution and the global Anglican community. Royal and International Reaction King Charles III has congratulated the new Archbishop on her appointment, "a position of great significance in the UK and across the worldwide Anglican community", Buckingham Palace announced. The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, which represents conservative views, has criticised the selection, stating that although some will welcome it, "the majority of the global church still maintains that the scriptures requires a male-only episcopacy." Handover Process She does not legally take on her new role until a confirmation of election in January, and an enthronement service comes later, after they have pledged allegiance to the monarch. In a declaration on Friday after her new role was finalized, she commented: "I recognize this is a significant undertaking but I undertake it with a sense of peace and trust in God to carry me as has consistently occurred." Speaking from the historic church, she noted that "during a period that seeks absolute answers and tribalism, Anglicanism offers something quieter but more resilient." Responding to Attack Talking about the "horrific violence" of the previous day's incident on a Jewish house of worship in the northern city, she said "we observe hatred that rises up through fractures across our communities." She continued: "The religious community have a duty to be a people who stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism in every manifestation. Hatred and racism of any kind cannot be permitted to divide our society." Background and Career Married with two children, she devoted more than three decades in the NHS, becoming the youngest-ever chief nursing officer for England in 1999. Although she was volunteering in the Church at the period, it was just a few years later that she decided to become a priest and was promptly assigned helping implement changes in the way the organization addressed abuse. In 2012 she became canon treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral before assuming the role of Bishop of Crediton in the diocese of Exeter in 2015. As Bishop of London she was regarded as someone who used her experience as an health service manager to help modernise the church district. Personal Philosophy "People frequently inquire what it has been like to have had different professional paths, first in the NHS and now in the Church. "I prefer to think that I have consistently maintained one vocation: to pursue Christian faith, to know him and to share his message, always seeking to live with compassion in the service of others, whether as a healthcare professional, a priest, or a bishop." Upcoming Responsibilities Possibly the most urgent thing in her agenda is still to develop improved approaches towards dealing with misconduct and treating with more compassion those impacted by such incidents. There has also been a decline in church attendance, though London has to a degree bucked that trend. A particular subject she has been most outspoken about is end-of-life choices - she is a strong critic, as was her predecessor. When the law was passed in the House of Commons, she described it as "unworkable and unsafe and creates danger to the most at-risk individuals in our society." Progressive Stances Among her responsibilities as Bishop of London was to chair a committee trying to steer the Church's decision on whether to bless same-sex marriages. She characterized the decision to finally allow clergy to sanction gay relationships in last year as "an optimistic development for the Church." A former Archbishop, summarised her position as necessitating a "awareness of current affairs and a Bible in the other." The former spiritual leader told media outlets "the pressure of having an position on all matters is significantly demanding."