Archbishop of Canterbury — the Spiritual Leader of the Anglican Church — Becomes a Woman for the First Time
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The UK government has appointed the Bishop of London, 64-year-old Sarah Mullally, as Archbishop of Canterbury — the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church, The Guardian reports.
Former nurse Sarah Mullally has become the first female Archbishop of Canterbury in the entire 1,400-year history of this position, Reuters notes. The enthronement of the new Archbishop of Canterbury is scheduled for March 2026.
In 2017, Mullally was appointed Bishop of London, becoming the first woman to hold that post as well.
The Guardian points out that the decision to appoint Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury may spark discontent among more conservative groups within the Anglican Church, including its overseas branches. “The global role of the Archbishop is to be the spiritual leader for 85 million Anglicans worldwide. Previous archbishops have faced the challenge of balancing between conservative churches in African countries (where homosexuality is banned in some) and more liberal voices in the West,” the outlet notes.
