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UK Set to Appoint New Archbishop of Canterbury; Women Included in Shortlist for the First Time
The United Kingdom is preparing to appoint the next Archbishop of Canterbury on Friday, who will lead the Church of England—the mother church of 85 million Anglicans worldwide. For the first time in history, women are among the frontrunners, raising the possibility that the centuries-old institution could be headed by a woman.
The move follows reforms introduced under former Archbishop Justin Welby, who resigned last year after allegations of covering up a child abuse case. A decade ago, those reforms opened the door for women to be appointed bishops, paving the way for a woman to potentially assume the church’s most senior role.
“If the new Archbishop were to be a woman, it would be incredibly exciting. In the history of the post since AD 597, this would be a first—it would be a landmark moment,” Dean of Canterbury David Monteith told the BBC. As Dean, he will formally install the new Archbishop in a ceremony to be held in the coming months.
Women Leading the Field
Among the leading contenders are three women bishops: Rachel Treweek, the first female diocesan bishop in the Church of England; Guli Francis-Dehqani, who was born in Iran and fled to Britain as a refugee after the 1979 Islamic Revolution; and Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, one of the most senior positions in the church.
Other prominent names include Bishop Martin Snow, who withdrew from leading the Church’s process on blessing same-sex couples, saying he could not hold the church together on the issue, and Bishop Pete Wilcox of Sheffield, who has also been cited in media reports.
The appointment of a woman as Archbishop would mark a defining moment for Christians across denominations and continents, though it is also expected to intensify debates within the church over same-sex relationships and the role of women in ministry.
A Global and Divisive Role
The Archbishop’s global position—shaped by the Church of England’s historic spread through the British Empire—has made unity increasingly difficult. Successive leaders have had to carefully navigate between conservative Anglican churches in Africa, where homosexuality is illegal in some countries, and more liberal voices in the West.
The conservative Global Anglican Future Conference, which claims to represent a majority of Anglicans worldwide and previously rejected Welby’s stance on homosexuality, maintains that only men should be ordained as bishops. By contrast, British advocacy group Women and the Church said much more needs to be done, publishing a list on the eve of the appointment of parishes they allege still restrict women’s roles in ministry.
The Monarchy’s Role in the Appointment
Reflecting the Church of England’s status as the established church, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office will announce the appointment on Friday with the formal approval of King Charles III. As monarch, Charles serves as the church’s Supreme Governor—a role established in the 16th century after King Henry VIII’s break with Rome.
Unlike the Catholic Church, which elected Pope Leo just 17 days after the death of Pope Francis, the Church of England has taken nearly a year to name its new leader. The process has been lengthy and complex, overseen by a former intelligence officer and involving senior bishops as well as international Anglican representatives.
The selection commission comprised 17 voting members, including five representatives from the global Anglican community, three from Canterbury, and six from the Church of England’s governing body.
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