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Dame Sarah Mullally, the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to hold this prestigious position, has received an overwhelming amount of support since her appointment was announced. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, she shared that hundreds of letters have been sent to her, many from women expressing how her nomination has personally affirmed them in their roles within the Church. One ordained priest wrote to say that Dame Sarah’s appointment was the first time she felt validated in her ministry. These interactions highlight the significant impact of Dame Sarah’s leadership breakthrough within the Church of England.
Despite moments of challenge as a woman working within traditionally male-dominated arenas—including both the Church and her previous roles in the NHS and government as chief nursing officer for England—Dame Sarah remains committed to fostering unity. Her election will be formally confirmed at a ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in January, followed by her installation at Canterbury Cathedral in March. While opposition exists within parts of the Anglican Communion, particularly from individuals opposed to women priests, Dame Sarah emphasizes collaboration. She explained to Theresa May, guest editor of the Today Programme over New Year’s Eve, that her leadership style revolves around collegiality and listening, even toward those who dissent theologically from the ordination of women.
Addressing broader societal divisions, Dame Sarah called for a listening approach by the Church on difficult issues like immigration and national identity. She acknowledged the insecurities some people feel about their identities and stressed that churches have an opportunity to engage thoughtfully with those concerns. She also noted the role of churches in facilitating interfaith dialogues that seek to build community cohesion. On the matter of assisted dying legislation, Dame Sarah reiterated her firm opposition, grounded in experiences she has had as both a nurse and a priest. While amendments to legislation are under consideration, she expressed doubt about the bill’s ability to truly safeguard vulnerable individuals, citing deficits in palliative and social care that might lead people to choose assisted dying not out of free will but necessity.
Dame Sarah also addressed the Church of England’s safeguarding failures, describing them as “significant” and expressing sorrow over them. She affirmed that protecting vulnerable people is central to her Christian faith, and she supports steps toward greater independence in safeguarding processes within the Church. The Church has faced intense scrutiny following a seven-year Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, launched while Theresa May was home secretary. Previous Church leaders have been criticized for their handling of abuse allegations, and even Dame Sarah faces a complaint related to her time as Bishop of London. Nonetheless, she noted that progress has been made during the past decade and that introducing independent safeguarding professionals would represent an important measure for rebuilding trust in the institution
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