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Throughout the nation, countless celebrated the announcement of the first ever woman archbishop of Canterbury. Following centuries of female members striving for positions of authority within the church, a woman will now occupy the most senior position in the Anglican Church. This appointment was embraced not just because the candidate is a female, but due to the fact she is seen as a insightful, knowledgeable, brave, and caring figurehead.

Opposition and Issues

Naturally, certain groups voiced unhappiness—whether due to her sex or because of her endorsement for the approval of same-sex relationships. Moreover, some pointed out worries about a significant protection case in the past that was mismanaged during her tenure in the regional church body of the capital.

Nonetheless, Bishop Sarah—while rather diminutive in stature—has great strength, which she will need. She has survived a lengthy period as senior clergy of London, which covers one of the most divided regions in the nation regarding female priests and bishops. Reports indicate that 20% of parishes in London have passed resolutions to limit women from serving as vicars or blessing the bread and wine. The bishop has faced gender-based discrimination: earlier this year, at the church assembly, she broke down in tears while describing the many subtle slights she has experienced. I would guess that a few of those incidents were not micro at all.

Challenges in Leadership

As the senior bishop, Bishop Sarah will lead a religious body that is open to females being priests and bishops, but at the same time, it includes multiple current senior clergy who accept her as their incoming archbishop but would not personally receive communion from her. In addition, a senior clergy member rejects the idea that females should hold authority over males in the religious institution. Per data, around six hundred parishes continue to restrict female clergy, where it may be impossible for her to lead the bread and wine or deliver sermons.

In her global role as leader of the Anglican communion—comprising eighty-five million members in more than 165 nations—she will additionally face difficulties because of her gender. While most provinces in the global church do ordain women clergy, a few do not. Her stance on LGBT issues—she supports allowing clergy to sanction same-sex relationships, if they agree—is likewise opposed by certain factions. Significant and influential groups within the Church of England and Anglican communion oppose this. A conservative network, a group of conservative churches, has publicly stated that it views the appointment of her appointment with disappointment.

Future Prospects

So, what can be expected?

When Bishop Sarah is formally installed as archbishop in March the coming year, there will be just a limited time before she is expected to retire at seventy years old. There is nonetheless much that can be accomplished in that time. For this, I believe she will must demonstrate guidance that guides the church in a defined path. Historically, the rallying cry has been cohesion, and those in charge have gone round in circles to please all sides—despite established procedures for resolving disputes through discussions and votes at the church assembly.

This has brought to a point where additional clergy are assigned exclusively for congregations who do not accept female priests or bishops. The risk will be to ask for further separate leadership on other issues, such as same-sex blessings. However this direction will result in further division and more people being unable to give or receive the Eucharist collectively—an act that is central of what it means to be a church. Having the bravery to adhere to procedures, take decisions, and avoid making complicated and expensive accommodations for those who don’t win the vote will result in not just clarity, but in the end greater unity too.

Not long ago, in a Anglican educational institution, a student mentioned that a male peer had told her that the scriptures teaches women must be subordinate of men. I would have liked to explain that this does not reflect what the Church of England holds, period. But that was not possible—as parishes are permitted to teach this. In a world with so many problems, so much hostility, sexism, and racism, it would be positive for the Anglican Church to have an genuine voice at its helm that calls out the structures of male privilege that drive violence and abuse against women and addresses the systemic sexism that is presently being overlooked. Hopefully that the selection of the first female archbishop of Canterbury will be a significant move in the direction of that goal.