🔗 Share this article

Across England, countless celebrated the selection of the pioneering female archbishop of Canterbury. Following ages of women striving for positions of authority within the church, a woman will now occupy the highest position in the Church of England. The selection was welcomed not only because she is a woman, but due to the fact she is widely regarded as a insightful, intelligent, courageous, and caring figurehead.

Criticism and Issues

Naturally, some groups expressed discontent—whether due to the fact she is a woman or owing to her support for the blessing of LGBT unions. Moreover, some pointed out worries about a significant safeguarding case in the past that was mismanaged by her team in the regional church body of London.

Nonetheless, the bishop—although quite small in size—has great strength, which is necessary. She endured seven years as bishop of the capital, which covers one of the most contentious areas in the country regarding female priests and bishops. Sources suggest that 20% of churches in London have passed resolutions to restrict women from leading congregations or blessing the Eucharist. The bishop has faced sexist actions: in February, at the General Synod, she broke down in tears while recalling the many daily prejudices she has experienced. I would guess that some of those incidents were not micro at all.

Hurdles in Authority

As the senior bishop, Bishop Sarah will lead a church that is open to women serving as priests and bishops, but simultaneously, it includes seven current senior clergy who welcome her as their incoming leader but would not personally receive communion from her. Furthermore, one bishop does not believe that women should be in leadership over men in the religious institution. According to reports, nearly 600 parishes continue to limit female clergy, where she might not be able to lead the bread and wine or deliver sermons.

As international leader as head of the worldwide Anglican church—including 85 million members in more than 165 countries—she will additionally face difficulties because of her sex. While most regions in the Anglican communion now accept women clergy, some refuse to. Her stance on same-sex relations—she is in favour of allowing priests to sanction gay unions, if they agree—is likewise opposed by certain factions. Major and powerful factions within the Church of England and Anglican communion resist this. A conservative network, a alliance of conservative churches, has already stated that it receives the news of Bishop Sarah’s selection with disappointment.

Future Prospects

Thus, what can be expected?

When Bishop Sarah is formally installed as senior bishop in March the coming year, there will be just six years before her retirement at seventy years old. There is nonetheless much she can achieve in that time. To do that, it is thought she will must demonstrate guidance that guides the church in a defined path. In the past, the primary goal has been unity, and leaders have struggled to decide to agree with everyone—even with established procedures for resolving disputes through prayerful debates and votes at the church assembly.

This has led to a situation where extra clergy are appointed solely for those who reject female priests or bishops. The risk will be to demand further separate leadership on other issues, such as same-sex blessings. But this direction will result in further division and increased members being not allowed to give or receive the bread and wine together—an act that is central of what it means to be a congregation. Having the bravery to follow due process, make rulings, and not always providing complex and costly provision for those who don’t win the vote will bring not just clarity, but ultimately greater unity too.

Recently, while visiting a Church of England educational institution, a student mentioned that a male peer had told her that the scriptures teaches women need to be under the authority of males. I would have liked to explain that this is not what the Church of England holds, full stop. But I could not—because churches are permitted to teach this. In a world with so many problems, so much hatred, sexism, and discrimination, it would be beneficial for the Church of England to have an authentic voice at its top that calls out the structures of gender bias that fuel harm against women and addresses the systemic sexism that is presently being overlooked. Hopefully that the appointment of the pioneering woman senior bishop will be a significant move in the direction of this.