Sarah Mullally (Photo: Lambeth Palace)
The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, has been announced as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury after a selection process lasting several months.
She is the first ever female Archbishop of Canterbury and prior to her appointment, had been the Bishop of London since 2018.
Commenting on her appointment, she said, “As I respond to the call of Christ to this new ministry, I do so in the same spirit of service to God and to others that has motivated me since I first came to faith as a teenager.
“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.
“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.
“And I look forward to sharing this journey of faith with the millions of people serving God and their communities in parishes all over the country and across the global Anglican Communion.
“I know this is a huge responsibility but I approach it with a sense of peace and trust in God to carry me as He always has.”
She was confirmed after a lengthy selection process led by the Crown Nominations Commission, a 20-member body that included the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, the second most senior figure in the Church of England.
Lord Evans of Weardale, Chair of the Crown Nominations Commission, welcomed the news, saying, “It has been a great privilege to have chaired the Crown Nominations Commission as it sought to discern who God is calling to lead the Church of England and Anglican Communion as Archbishop of Canterbury.
“That discernment began with the public consultation, which heard the voices of thousands of people as they expressed their hopes for this nomination, and continued all the way through to the Commission’s final meeting.
“I would like to thank all those who took part in this process, particularly those who took time to share their views in the consultation and the members of the Commission who worked so diligently over several months, ably assisted by the Appointments Secretaries and by the Appointments and Vocations team at Lambeth Palace.
“I shall be praying for Bishop Sarah as she prepares to take up this new ministry in the coming months.”
The Bishop of Dover, Rose Hudson-Wilkin, said her appointment was “a significant moment for the Church of England, the Worldwide Anglican Communion and the Diocese of Canterbury”.
“Today we have witnessed history in the making, the first woman ever to be appointed to this role which has been in existence for over 1,400 years,” she said.
Evangelicals have been far less effusive, with the chairman of the orthodox Gafcon movement, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda calling on her to “repent” for her support of same-sex blessings.
“This appointment abandons global Anglicans, as the Church of England has chosen a leader who will further divide an already split Communion,” he said.
The Church of England Evangelical Council appealed to Mullally to “hold to the apostolic faith and call the Church of England to recommit to the historic doctrines and formularies entrusted to it”.
The office of Archbishop of Canterbury had been vacant for many months following the resignation of Mullally’s predecessor Justin Welby, who stepped down after the Makin report accused him of failing to report prolific abuse by the late John Smyth to police. He formally left the office in January.
This was the first time that both men and women were eligible for the position after the Church of England allowed female bishops in 2014.
Other leading female candidates had been the Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, and the Bishop of Gloucester Rachel Treweek.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is a significant appointment as they also act as spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, much of which takes a more conservative view on issues like sexuality and ordained women.
Bishop Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, said: “I welcome and commend the nomination of Bishop Sarah as the next Archbishop of Canterbury and invite the churches of the global Anglican Communion 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.
“The Anglican Communion Office is fully committed to supporting her ministry as she works with other Provinces and the Instruments of the Anglican Communion.
“Let us pray that God will pour out His Spirit on the Anglican Communion to boldly share Christ’s transformational love and the hope of the Gospel in today’s world.”
Mullally will be installed in a service at Canterbury Cathedral on 25 March 2026.
She assumes leadership of the Church of England at a time of deep divisions over recent moves to bless same-sex couples. This division extends to large parts of the Anglican Communion, particularly Global South provinces, many of which rejected the leadership of Welby over same-sex blessings.
In a wide-ranging career and ministry, Mulllally was the youngest person ever to be appointed as the government’s Chief Nursing Officer for England before being ordained as a priest in 2002. In 2018, she became the first woman to be appointed as Bishop of London.
For many years she led the Living in Love and Faith project, a consultation across the Church of England on sexuality, marriage and gender identity that paved the way to its approving same-sex blessings.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “The Church of England is of profound importance to this country. Its churches, cathedrals, schools, and charities are part of the fabric of our communities.
“The Archbishop of Canterbury will play a key role in our national life. I wish her every success and look forward to working together.”
Sarah Mullally becomes first ever female Archbishop of Canterbury
