Sarah Mullally Appointed as New Spiritual Leader of the Church of England

The 63-year-old former NHS chief nurse has been named as the new Archbishop of Canterbury designate - creating a milestone as the first woman to be selected for this significant position.

Previously England's chief nursing officer, the sixty-three-year-old entered the priesthood in 2006 and was named as the first female Bishop of London in 2018 - the third most senior member of religious leadership in the Anglican Church.

This signifies the first time in almost five centuries of tradition that the Church has selected a female to lead it.

Groundbreaking Selection

The Anglican Church has been without someone in the senior role for approximately twelve months after Justin Welby stepped down over a protection controversy.

He departed following a critical investigation into a prolific child abuser associated with the religious institution. The report found that he "was able and obligated" have notified authorities about John Smyth's abuse of male youths to police in 2013.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell assumed most of the former Archbishop's responsibilities in an interim move, and was among those casting ballots of the body charged with choosing his replacement.

Official Procedure

Following established custom, the process of choosing a spiritual leader involves a candidate being presented to the Prime Minister and then forwarded to the monarch.

The Prime Minister has applauded the selection of Dame Sarah, commenting: "This position will serve an important function in our country's affairs. I wish her every success and look forward to working together."

While, technically, the King is leader of the Church of England, the individual holding the position of spiritual leader is the most senior bishop and is the religious guide of the Church and the global Anglican community.

Monarchical and Global Reaction

King Charles III has praised the new Archbishop on her new role, "a position of great significance in the UK and across the global Anglican Communion", Buckingham Palace said.

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, which advocates for traditional positions, has criticised the appointment, stating that although some will welcome it, "most members of the global church still believes that the Bible requires a all-male bishopric."

Handover Process

She does not legally take on her new role until a confirmation of election in the new year, and an enthronement service comes later, after they have pledged allegiance to the King.

In a declaration on the announcement day after her new role was finalized, she commented: "I recognize this is a significant undertaking but I approach it with a feeling of calm and faith in divine guidance to support me as He always has."

Speaking from the historic church, she said that "during a period that craves certainty and tribalism, the Anglican tradition provides a more subtle approach but more resilient."

Addressing Violence

Talking about the "terrible attack" of the previous day's incident on a synagogue in the northern city, she stated "we are witnessing hatred that rises up through fractures across our communities."

She continued: "The religious community have a responsibility to be a people who stand with the Jewish community against prejudice against Jews in every manifestation. Hatred and racism of all types cannot be permitted to divide our society."

Background and Career

A mother of two, she devoted more than three decades in the NHS, achieving the position of the youngest-ever chief nursing officer for the country in 1999.

While serving voluntarily in the Church at the period, it was just a few years later that she decided to become a clergy member and was promptly assigned helping implement changes in the way the organization addressed abuse.

In 2012 she became financial administrator at Salisbury Cathedral before becoming diocesan leader in the diocese of Exeter in 2015.

As London's religious leader she was seen as someone who applied her background as an NHS administrator to help update the diocese.

Guiding Principles

"People frequently inquire what it has been like to have had different professional paths, initially in the health service and currently in the religious institution.

"I like to consider that I have consistently maintained one vocation: to follow Jesus Christ, to understand his teachings and to share his message, always seeking to demonstrate empathy in the assistance to people, whether as a healthcare professional, a priest, or a church official."

Upcoming Responsibilities

Perhaps the pressing issue in her agenda is still to chart a better path towards addressing misconduct and treating with more compassion those impacted by such incidents.

There has also been a reduction in church attendance, though London has to some extent resisted this pattern.

One of the areas she has been most outspoken about is assisted dying - she is a vociferous opponent, as was her preceding Archbishop.

When the law was approved in the Commons, she described it as "unworkable and unsafe and poses a risk to the most at-risk individuals in our society."

Progressive Stances

One of her roles as Bishop of London was to chair a body trying to steer the Church's decision on whether to sanction gay unions.

She characterized the determination to ultimately permit clergy to sanction gay relationships in last year as "a moment of hope for the Church."

Rowan Williams, described her new role as necessitating a "newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other."

The former spiritual leader explained to journalists "the pressure of having an opinion on everything is significantly demanding."