Sarah Mullally, 63, was appointed the 106th Archbisp of the Cantuária, taking a milestone of 1,400 years of history
The Anglican Church appointed this Friday (3.out.2025) Sarah Mullally, 63, as Archbispa da Cantuária. It is the first time in 1,400 years of history that a woman assumes the highest position of the Church of England, created in 597.
The appointment represents a milestone for the institution, which ordered its first priestesses in 1994 and bishops in 2015. Mullaly is the 106th person to occupy the position since St. Augustine. The archbishop “First among equals” in the Anglican structure. Although it has no direct authority over other national churches, it is the main spiritual and symbolic reference of communion. The information is from .
Before joining the clergy, Archbisp was an cancer nurse. She was the youngest nursing director in England. It became a reference within the Anglican Church for defending greater female presence in the hierarchy and supporting inclusion policies.
Mullally, the current Bishop of London, happens Justin Welby, 69, who left the post in November 2024 after criticism for taking a long time to communicate to the authorities of sexual abuse committed by a volunteer of Christian camps.
Appointment has resistance
Despite the advance, the decision caused resistance among conservative wings of Anglican communion, a network that brings together more than 85 million faithful in 165 countries.
The Gafcon group, made up of leaders from Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda, classified the choice as “Unfortunate” and stated that Mullally “Promotes revisionist teachings” about marriage and sexual morality.
The new leader assumes at a time of internal divisions about the role of women and LGBTQ+ people in the church, as well as the need to rebuild confidence after scandals of sexual abuse.
“I will not always get it right, but I trust in the psalmist’s words: ‘Even though you stumble, you will not fall headfirst, for the Lord holds you by the hand.’he said when he was announced.
Debates on Inclusion and Neutral Language
In 2023, the Anglican Church of England discussed the adoption of neutral gender language to refer to God in religious prayers and rituals. The debate took place at the general synod, the institution’s legislative body, and was revealed by the British newspaper The Telegraph.
At the time, the reverend Joanna Stobart questioned the synod about measures to “Develop a more inclusive language” in the liturgies of the Church. Bishop Michael Ipgrave, vice president of the Liturgical Commission, replied that a working group would be created to analyze the issue.
“Christians recognize from ancient times that God is neither a man nor woman, but this variety of ways to address Him does not always appear in our worship.”said Ipgrave.
Despite the discussion, the institution stressed that there were no immediate plans to review the Scriptures or abolish the currently in force liturgies.
The theme of neutral language has been added to other internal debates on homosexual marriage and gender equality, reflecting the cultural transformations faced by the Anglican Church that, unlike Catholic, allows its national provinces to make decisions autonomously.
