When the Most Reverend Cherry Vann was elected Archbishop of Wales in July 2025, the Church in Wales made history twice over. Not only did she become the UK’s first female Archbishop, but she also became the world’s first openly gay Archbishop, a milestone that would bring both hope and controversy to the Welsh Anglican community. As Vann delivered her first Christmas message this December, the reverberations of her appointment were still being felt far beyond the cathedral walls.
Speaking candidly to BBC Wales, Archbishop Vann acknowledged the personal and institutional turbulence that has followed her elevation. “There are still patches all over the place where people continue to struggle with women in leadership and I have to respect that,” she said. “Some, sadly, have felt the need to leave and I take that very seriously.” According to BBC reporting, the departures were not hypothetical; some parishioners have indeed left the Church in Wales in direct response to Vann’s sexuality and gender.
It’s a story that’s as much about tradition as it is about change. The Church in Wales, like many Anglican bodies worldwide, finds itself at a crossroads—caught between the pull of longstanding doctrine and the push for greater inclusion. The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Gafcon), a conservative international coalition, described Vann’s appointment as “another painful nail in the coffin of Anglican orthodoxy.” Yet, for every voice of protest, there have been many others who celebrate the new archbishop’s arrival. “I had a lot of people contact me rejoicing at my election and saying how much hope and strength they get from the fact that there is now a woman in the role—and a civilly partnered woman at that,” Vann shared with the BBC. “I’ve had the opposite as well. That’s just life.”
The backdrop to Vann’s election was itself fraught. Her predecessor, Andrew John, retired in the summer of 2025 after a series of scandals involving safeguarding failures, excessive drinking, and church members overstepping sexual boundaries at Bangor Cathedral. Vann was elected by her fellow bishops with a two-thirds majority, a clear mandate but also a signal of the deep divisions and challenges within the church’s leadership.
For Vann, the personal attacks have been difficult to bear. “It can be very hurtful,” she admitted in her BBC interview. “It’s hard to hear some of the things that people say, but I think it’s important that there is the space for them to say that. I don’t want people to feel shut down or silenced just because I hold a different view. But it does nevertheless hurt because it feels like an attack on who I am and who God has made me to be.”
Her experience is not unique. According to reporting from multiple sources, openly gay clergy across denominations have long faced discrimination, isolation, and career limitations—sometimes forced to lead double lives or step down from their posts. While some branches of Christianity have made strides toward greater inclusivity, ordaining openly gay, lesbian, and transgender ministers and blessing same-sex unions, these changes are often met with resistance from more conservative factions. The result is a fractured landscape, with internal schisms and public disputes reflecting broader debates about the interpretation of sacred texts, the meaning of marriage, and the nature of Christian leadership.
For the Church in Wales, these divisions have tangible consequences. The departure of parishioners over issues of inclusion doesn’t just affect Sunday attendance; it can mean fewer volunteers, diminished financial support, and a loss of the communal fabric that binds congregations together. Leaders like Vann are left to navigate these treacherous waters, balancing pastoral care, theological reflection, and administrative duties—often under the watchful eye of a public eager to see how the church will respond.
Vann herself is keenly aware of the challenge. Asked whether her tenure should be judged on her ability to change the church’s culture, she responded with characteristic frankness. “I think there is a big cultural issue in the Church,” she said. “Anybody who has tried to change the culture in an organisation will tell you it takes a long time. This is a big thing and I guess that there will still be work to do when I retire. (We need) to take a greater care for those who have been damaged by the Church, of which sadly there are many. But I am hopeful that we are already making changes. There are many people who are determined to make a difference and ensure that the Church is a place where, when things go wrong, they are dealt with properly.”
Her Christmas message, delivered on December 23, 2025, reflected this spirit of hope amid adversity. She chose a passage from the Gospel of John about finding light in the darkness—a sentiment that resonates deeply in a year marked by both personal and institutional upheaval. “It’s really about how the coming of Jesus into the world is the light in the darkness—and there’s plenty of darkness around in the world at the moment,” Vann said. “Our message as Christians is that Jesus comes into all that difficulty and despair and brings the light of hope and love and joy, because of who he is.”
The broader implications of Vann’s experience extend well beyond Wales. As societies become more diverse and secular, religious institutions everywhere are under pressure to reconcile traditional teachings with contemporary understandings of human rights and dignity. The way churches handle these internal divisions can shape their relevance—and even their survival—in the years to come. As noted in coverage by other outlets, Vann’s story is just one chapter in a much larger narrative about LGBTQ+ rights, religious freedom, and the ongoing evolution of faith communities.
Yet for all the challenges, there is also a story of resilience. Openly gay clergy like Vann continue to serve, driven by a profound sense of calling and a desire to minister authentically. Their journeys often inspire others and help create more welcoming spaces within their traditions. “We have to find a way as a Church to respect one another’s views and find a commonality in our faith in Christ, despite our differences,” Vann stated—a call for unity that echoes far beyond the church gates.
As the Church in Wales looks to the future, the conversation about inclusion, diversity, and faith is far from over. But with leaders like Archbishop Vann at the helm, there is a renewed hope that the light she speaks of will continue to shine, even in the darkest corners of the church’s past and present.
