Dame Sarah Mullally Selected as Pioneering Woman Archbishop of the Church of England
Dame Sarah Mullally has been appointed as the inaugural woman leader of the Church of England, with Downing Street announcing the new spiritual leader of Canterbury almost twelve months following Welby stepping down over the handling of a safeguarding scandal.
This represents the inaugural instance an leader of the Anglican church has been appointed since the Church of England opened the episcopate to women in 2014.
The top cleric is considered the spiritual leader of the Anglican church worldwide and they also have a position in the upper parliamentary chamber.
The Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York took on most of the responsibilities temporarily, and was among the decision-makers of the group responsible for selecting the next archbishop.
The selection body had to approve the selection by a two-thirds consensus. Once decided, in line with tradition, the steps entail presenting a nominee to the PM, currently Keir Starmer and then passed to the monarch.
Mullally will not legally take on the role until a electoral confirmation in January, with an induction rite scheduled afterward, after allegiance is sworn to the sovereign.
