Bishop of London Sarah Mullally to be Archbishop of Canterbury
A woman has been chosen as Archbishop of Canterbury for the first time
King Charles III has approved the nomination of Bishop of London Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury.
Former Chief Nursing Officer before she was ordained priest in 2002, she has worked in parishes in the Southwark diocese and as a canon at Salisbury Cathedral. She was consecrated Bishop of Crediton in 2015 and became the first female Bishop of London in 2018.
Soeaking at Canterbury Cathedral this morning after her selection was announced by Downing Street, she said, “As I respond to the Call of Christ in this new ministry, I remain rooted in my first calling: to follow Christ, to know him – and to make him known to the world.”
After eight years as Bishop of London, it had not been easy to accept that she was leaving, she said.
“Washing feet has shaped my Christian vocation as a nurse, then a priest, then a bishop. In the apparent chaos which surrounds us, in the midst of such profound global uncertainty, the possibility of healing lies in acts of kindness and love.”
She spoke about her own experience in the Church of England. “In parishes across this nation, I see faithful clergy and congregations worshipping God and loving their neighbours. I see thousands of churches running food banks and homeless shelters. I see hospitals and prison chaplains caring for people and families in times of desperation. I see Church of England schools educating a million children across this country. I hear parishioners ringing bells and inviting people to pray. I hear the quiet hum of faith in every community, the gentle invitation to come and be with others, and the welcome extended to every person. In all of this, I see hope – because I see the person of Jesus Christ, reaching out to us all.”
In an age that craves certainty and tribalism, Anglicanism offers something quieter but stronger, she said.
“Across our nation today, we are wrestling with complex moral and political questions. The legal right of terminally ill people to end their own lives. Our response to people fleeing war and persecution to seek safety and refuge. The pressures on communities who have been overlooked and undervalued. The deep-rooted question of who we are as a nation, in a world that is so often on the brink.”
She also commented on yesterday’s synagogue attack in Manchester.
“Mindful of the horrific violence of yesterday’s attack on a synagogue
in Manchester, we are witnessing hatred that rises up through fractures
across our communities. I know that the God who is with us draws near to
those who suffer. We then, as a Church, have a responsibility to
be a people who stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism in
all its forms. Hatred and racism of any kind cannot be allowed to tear
us apart.”
As Archbishop, she added, her will be to ensure that we continue to listen to survivors, care for the vulnerable, and foster a culture of safety and well-being for all.
“This will not be easy. Our history of safeguarding failures have left a legacy of deep harm and mistrust, and we must all be willing to have light shone on our actions, regardless of our role in the Church.”
But she said that since her ordination, she had witnessed a “significant professional and cultural shift in safeguarding” and accepted that for those in senior leadership, it carries an added weight of accountability.
“Some will be asking what it means for a woman to lead the Church of England, and to take on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s global role in the Anglican Communion. I intend be a shepherd who enables everyone’s ministry and vocation to flourish, whatever our tradition. Today I give thanks for all the women and men – lay and ordained; deacons, priests and bishops – who have paved the way for this moment. And to all the women that have gone before me. Thank you for your support and your inspiration.”
Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols welcomed the appointment. “She will bring many personal gifts and experience to her new role. The challenges and opportunities facing the new Archbishop are many and significant. On behalf of our Catholic community, I assure her of our prayers.
“Together we will be responsive to the prayer of Jesus that we ‘may all be one’ and seek to develop the bonds of friendship and shared mission between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church.”
Francis Davis, professor of public policy and communities at the University of Birmingham, noted that some of her theological education was with the Society of Jesus. He told The Tablet, “Delighted with an ecumenically-minded Jesuit-educated appointment with a family connection to the workers’ champion Cardinal Manning . Especially admirable is that so much of her nursing, theological and pastoral studies have been undertaken while working – we need lifelong learners and think againers.”
During the last sixteen months as chair of Christian Aid, Bishop Mullally visited partners in Colombia where work is being done on the ground to defend indigenous lands and support women-led sustainable agriculture initiatives. She has also used her platform at Christian Aid to urge the UK Government to “reject the false choice between defence and development” in the wake of international aid cuts.
Chief executive Patrick Watt said she demonstrated a “deep commitment to a more just world, and to building bridges with people of all faiths and beliefs in pursuit of the common good” in her role with the charity.
The Dean of Westminster, Very Rev’d David Hoyle, said: “We are fortunate in having in Bishop Sarah someone who proved long ago that she has the faith, courage and resilience to bear such a great burden. Bishop Sarah brings grace and hope to this high office. We look forward to sharing in a ministry that speaks of that grace and hope to the world. She knows the Abbey well, and it will be a joy to welcome her back as Archbishop.”
Lord Evans of Weardale, chair of the Crown Nominations Commission, said, “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.”
No comments:
Post a Comment