History was made on October 3, 2025, when Bishop of London Sarah Mullally was named the first woman to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury, shattering centuries-old barriers in the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion. The announcement, jointly made by the Church of England and the UK government and approved by King Charles III, marks a seismic shift for the world’s 85 million Anglicans, as Mullally becomes the 106th person—and the very first woman—to hold the church’s highest spiritual office.
Mullally, 63, brings an extraordinary background to the role. Before her ordination in 2001, she was a cancer nurse and, in 1999, became the youngest person ever appointed as England’s chief nursing officer. Her journey from the hospital wards to the highest echelons of Anglican leadership is, as she herself has noted, a testament to perseverance and faith. In her 2018 opening sermon as Bishop of London, she quipped, "Let me reassure you I do not come carrying bombs — or perhaps not literal ones anyway! But I am aware that as the first woman Bishop of London I am necessarily subversive — and it's a necessity I intend to embrace."
Mullally’s appointment follows the resignation of former Archbishop Justin Welby, who stepped down in January 2025 amid controversy over his handling of child abuse allegations within the church. According to the Associated Press, an independent investigation found that Welby had failed to promptly inform authorities about abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps. The church’s struggle with abuse scandals has cast a long shadow, and many see Mullally’s leadership as an opportunity for healing and renewed trust.
Her installation is scheduled for March 2026 at Canterbury Cathedral, following ratification by the College of Canons later this year. The selection process, chaired by the former director-general of MI5, spanned nearly a year and was anything but transparent—there was no published shortlist nor open vote. Instead, as Episcopal News Service noted, the process involved careful consultation with various interest groups to determine the right leader for these turbulent times.
Mullally addressed the congregation at Canterbury Cathedral for the first time in her new role, opening with a prayer and reflecting on the "legacy of deep harm and mistrust" left by the church’s failure to protect vulnerable members. She spoke candidly about the daunting challenges ahead: declining church attendance, internal divisions over the treatment of women and LGBTQ+ people, and the urgent need to restore faith in church leadership. "There was a time where female priests — the idea of that — seemed absurd," George Gross, a scholar at King’s College London, told the AP. "But we’ve moved a long way from that. And if you can have a female prime minister, you have a female monarch, it seems, why can’t you have the female archbishop of Canterbury?"
Beyond the church’s internal struggles, Mullally addressed broader societal issues that have caused rifts in the UK and beyond. She referenced the horrific violence of the recent synagogue attack in Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, and called on the church to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community against antisemitism. "We are witnessing hatred that rises up through fractures across our communities," she said. "Hatred and racism of any kind cannot be allowed to tear us apart."
Mullally also made her stance clear on contemporary debates, including her opposition to assisted dying legislation currently before Parliament, and highlighted the political divisions wrought by migration. She acknowledged the uncertainty of the times, but insisted that her first calling was to follow Christ and spread his message of hope and unity. "I will not always get things right," she admitted, "but I’m encouraged by the psalmist who tells us that, ‘Though you stumble you shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds you fast by your hand.’ I trust in the truth of those words for me, for you, for the Church of England, for the nation."
Her nomination has not been universally welcomed. The Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon), an influential conservative bloc within the Anglican Communion, issued a statement expressing sorrow and warning that her appointment would deepen longstanding splits over issues like marriage and sexual morality. "Though there are some who will welcome the decision to appoint Bishop Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy," the Rev. Laurent Mbanda stated for Gafcon. "Therefore, her appointment will make it impossible for the Archbishop of Canterbury to serve as a focus of unity within the Communion."
Despite such dissent, Mullally has received significant support from across the Anglican world and beyond. Bishop Anthony Poggo, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, called on Anglicans to "pray for her as she prepares to take up this important ministry. May God grant her wisdom and discernment, as she seeks to listen to Member churches, encourage mutual support, and foster unity." Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe described Mullally as "a wise and steady leader, a faithful advocate for the leadership of women in the church, and a bishop who will be committed to safeguarding vulnerable people and victims of abuse."
The Vatican also extended its congratulations. Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Vatican office for relations with other Christians, wished her well as she faces the "considerable" challenges ahead, praying that she would be "an instrument of communion and unity for the faithful among whom you will serve." King Charles III, who formally approved her nomination, hailed the historic nature of her appointment and its global ramifications.
Mullally’s leadership comes at a time when the Anglican Communion is considering significant changes to its own structures. The Episcopal News Service reported that two proposals under consideration by the Anglican Consultative Council would adjust how the 42 provinces relate to one another, potentially reducing the Church of England’s primacy and elevating more geographically diverse leaders. These reforms are partly a response to theological divisions, especially over LGBTQ+ inclusion, and could see the Archbishop of Canterbury’s role as president of the Anglican Consultative Council rotated among leaders from different regions.
As she prepares to take office, Mullally has emphasized the values that have guided her from her earliest days of faith: listening deeply, seeking to bring people together, and encouraging the church to grow in confidence in the Gospel. "At every stage of that journey, through my nursing career and Christian ministry, I have learned to listen deeply – to people and to God’s gentle prompting – to seek to bring people together to find hope and healing," she wrote in a statement. "I want, very simply, to encourage the Church to continue to grow in confidence in the Gospel, to speak of the love that we find in Jesus Christ and for it to shape our actions."
Her installation in March 2026 will be more than a ceremonial event—it will be the beginning of a new chapter for the Church of England and the wider Anglican world, one marked by both formidable challenges and the hope of renewal. Mullally’s journey from nurse to archbishop is, in itself, a parable of change—one that may yet inspire the church she now leads.
