Dame Sarah Mullally Selected as Pioneering Female Archbishop of the Church of England
Sarah Mullally has been named as the pioneering woman head of the Church of England, with the government confirming the 106th archbishop of Canterbury shortly after a year since the departure of Justin Welby over the handling of a safeguarding scandal.
This marks the first time an leader of the Anglican church has been appointed since the Church of England allowed women to become bishops in 2014.
The top cleric is considered the spiritual leader of the Anglican church globally and additionally holds a seat in the House of Lords.
The Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York handled key tasks in the interim, and was one of the voting members of the body charged with choosing Welby’s successor.
The selection body had to endorse the candidate by a two-thirds consensus. After agreement, according to custom, the process involves a name being given to the head of government, Keir Starmer and then forwarded to the king.
Mullally will not legally take on the role until a electoral confirmation in January, with an induction rite taking place later, after they have paid homage to the king.
