By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor | May 20, 2025
Guli Francis-Dehqani, currently serving as the bishop of Chelmsford, is gaining significant attention as a top contender to become the first woman to hold the prestigious role of Archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England. British bookmakers have named her the early favorite to succeed the Most Reverend Justin Welby, who stepped down earlier this year.
According to leading UK betting firms such as Ladbrokes and Star Sports, Francis-Dehqani’s chances are strong, with odds placed at evens and 2 to 1, respectively, highlighting growing support for a female leader within the Church of England. If selected, she would be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and mark a historic milestone as the first woman to assume this influential position.
Francis-Dehqani’s rise corresponds with increasing visibility and acceptance of female bishops in the Church of England, a change only made possible after the church amended its rules in 2014 to allow women to be appointed bishops. Recent data from the Church of England’s General Synod reveals that women now make up approximately 30% of all bishops, reflecting steady progress in church leadership diversity.
The decision process is overseen by the Canterbury Crown Nominations Commission, chaired by Lord Evans of Weardale, the former MI5 director general. The commission is scheduled to meet later this month, with subsequent meetings planned for July and September. A candidate must secure two-thirds approval from voting members during a secret ballot. A formal nomination of Welby’s successor is anticipated by autumn.
Francis-Dehqani, 58, has a remarkable background. Born in Iran, she and her family fled the country amid the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Her family endured tragedy when her brother Bahram was killed in 1980, and her father, who was the Anglican bishop in Iran, survived assassination attempts alongside her mother, herself the daughter of another bishop. The family later relocated to the United Kingdom, where her father continued his ministry in exile.
She pursued higher education at Nottingham and Bristol universities and was ordained in 1999. Her ecclesiastical career advanced as she became the bishop of Loughborough in 2017 before her 2021 appointment as bishop of Chelmsford.
Other notable candidates for the archbishopric include Michael Beasley, bishop of Bath and Wells, and Thabo Makgoba, the archbishop of Cape Town and the most senior Anglican bishop in South Africa. Betting firms currently place Makgoba at 25 to 1 odds.
Francis-Dehqani has also attracted public attention for her outspoken views on immigration in the UK. Recently, she challenged Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s description of Britain as an “island of strangers,” emphasizing that immigrants are integral members of communities who actively worship, serve, and contribute to society. She urged political leaders to recognize the power of language, advocating against the dehumanization of migrants and emphasizing the importance of dignity and compassion.
It’s worth noting that early frontrunners in the race for Archbishop of Canterbury have not always secured the role. For example, in 2002, Michael Nazir-Ali was widely tipped to succeed George Carey, but the position eventually went to Rowan Williams. Similarly, in 2012, John Sentamu and Christopher Cocksworth were favored before Justin Welby’s appointment, even though they were not prominent on many early prediction lists.
