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Throughout England, numerous rejoiced the selection of the pioneering woman archbishop of the Church of England. After ages of female members seeking for leadership roles within the religious institution, a woman will now hold the highest position in the Anglican Church. This appointment was celebrated not only because the candidate is a woman, but because she is considered a insightful, knowledgeable, courageous, and compassionate figurehead.

Resistance and Issues

Of course, some groups expressed unhappiness—either due to her gender or because of her support for the approval of same-sex relationships. Moreover, some pointed out worries about a serious protection incident five years ago that was mismanaged under her oversight in the diocese of London.

However, the bishop—although quite diminutive in size—has broad shoulders, which will be essential. She endured a lengthy period as senior clergy of London, which covers one of the most polarised regions in the country regarding women in clergy roles. Sources suggest that 20% of churches in the city have adopted resolutions to limit female clergy from serving as vicars or consecrating the Eucharist. The bishop has faced misogynistic behaviour: in February, at the church assembly, she broke down in tears while recalling the many subtle slights she has experienced. One can assume that a few of those incidents were not micro at all.

Hurdles in Authority

In her role as the senior bishop, Bishop Sarah will oversee a religious body that is open to women being clergy, but simultaneously, it includes seven current bishops who welcome her as their incoming leader but would not personally receive communion from her. Furthermore, a senior clergy member rejects the idea that females should be in leadership over males in the religious institution. Per reports, nearly 600 parishes continue to restrict women, where it may be impossible for her to lead the Eucharist or preach.

As international leader as head of the worldwide Anglican church—comprising 85 million members in more than 165 nations—Bishop Sarah will also encounter difficulties due to her sex. While most regions in the Anglican communion do ordain female priests and bishops, some refuse to. Her stance on LGBT issues—she supports allowing clergy to bless gay unions, if they agree—is likewise criticised by some. Major and influential factions within the Church of England and Anglican communion resist this. A conservative network, a alliance of conservative churches, has already announced that it views the appointment of Bishop Sarah’s selection negatively.

The Path Forward

Thus, how will this all play out?

By the time she is enthroned as senior bishop in March next year, there will be just a limited time before she is expected to retire at seventy years old. There is nonetheless a lot that can be accomplished in this period. For this, I believe she will need to show leadership that guides the institution in a defined path. Historically, the rallying cry has been cohesion, and those in charge have struggled to decide to agree with everyone—despite established procedures for making difficult decisions through prayerful debates and votes at the church assembly.

This has brought to a point where additional clergy are appointed exclusively for congregations who do not accept female priests or bishops. The temptation will be to ask for more alternative episcopal oversight on additional matters, such as LGBT rites. But such a path will lead to further division and increased people being not allowed to share the Eucharist collectively—something that is central of the essence to be a church. Having the courage to follow due process, make rulings, and not always making complicated and costly accommodations for the losing side will bring not just clarity, but in the end enhanced unity too.

Recently, while visiting a Church of England educational institution, a young woman stated that a male peer had claimed that the Bible teaches women must be under the authority of men. I would have liked to tell her that this is not what the Church of England holds, full stop. Yet that was not possible—because churches are allowed to promote this. Given today’s society with so many problems, so much hatred, sexism, and discrimination, it would be positive for the Anglican Church to have an authentic leader at its top that challenges the systems of male privilege that drive harm against females and addresses the institutional misogyny that is presently being ignored. Hopefully that the selection of the first female archbishop of Canterbury will be a significant move in the direction of that goal.