The Next Senior Bishop of the Church of England: Obstacles Awaiting the Groundbreaking Female Selection

Across England, many rejoiced the news of the first ever woman archbishop of Canterbury. Following centuries of female members striving for leadership roles within the church, a woman will now hold the top position in the Anglican Church. This appointment was celebrated not only because she is a woman, but due to the fact she is widely regarded as a insightful, knowledgeable, brave, and caring figurehead.

Resistance and Concerns

Unsurprisingly, some individuals expressed discontent—either due to her gender or because of her endorsement for the blessing of LGBT unions. Additionally, some raised concerns about a significant safeguarding incident in the past that was poorly addressed during her tenure in the diocese of the capital.

Nonetheless, Bishop Sarah—although quite small in size—has great strength, which will be essential. She has survived a lengthy period as bishop of the capital, encompassing one of the most divided regions in the nation regarding women in clergy roles. It is estimated that 20% of parishes in London have adopted resolutions to restrict female clergy from leading congregations or consecrating the Eucharist. She has faced misogynistic behaviour: earlier this year, at the General Synod, she became emotional while recalling the many daily prejudices she has experienced. I would guess that some of those incidents were quite significant.

Hurdles in Authority

In her role as archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop Sarah will preside over a religious body that is open to females serving as clergy, but at the same time, there are seven serving senior clergy who welcome her as their new archbishop but would not personally receive communion from her. In addition, one bishop rejects the idea that females should hold authority over males in the religious institution. According to data, around six hundred churches still restrict female clergy, where she might not be able to lead the Eucharist or preach.

As international leader as head of the Anglican communion—including eighty-five million people in more than 165 nations—Bishop Sarah will also face difficulties because of her sex. Although most regions in the global church do ordain female priests and bishops, some do not. Her position on LGBT issues—she supports allowing clergy to sanction gay unions, if they agree—is also opposed by certain factions. Major and powerful factions within the Church of England and global community oppose this. Gafcon, a alliance of conservative churches, has publicly stated that it views the appointment of her selection with disappointment.

Future Prospects

So, what lies ahead?

When she is formally installed as senior bishop in spring the coming year, she will only have a limited time before her retirement at seventy years old. Yet much she can achieve in this period. To do that, it is thought she will need to demonstrate guidance that guides the church in a clear direction. In the past, the primary goal has been unity, and leaders have struggled to decide to please all sides—even with proper processes for making difficult decisions through prayerful debates and votes at General Synod.

This has brought to a point where extra bishops are appointed exclusively for congregations who reject female priests or bishops. The risk will be to demand more alternative episcopal oversight on additional matters, such as same-sex blessings. But this direction will lead to more fragmentation and increased members being unable to share the Eucharist collectively—something that is central of the essence to be a church. Having the courage to follow due process, take decisions, and avoid making complicated and costly accommodations for those who don’t win the vote will result in not only clear direction, but in the end enhanced cohesion too.

Recently, in a Anglican school, a student mentioned that a boy had told her that the Bible says women must be under the authority of men. I would have liked to tell her that this does not reflect what the Church of England believes, period. But I could not—because parishes are allowed to promote this. In a world with numerous issues, widespread hostility, sexism, and discrimination, it would be beneficial for the Church of England to have an authentic leader at its helm that calls out the structures of male privilege that drive harm against females and confronts the institutional misogyny that is currently being overlooked. Hopefully that the appointment of the first female senior bishop will be a big step in the direction of this.