« Liberal » Archbishop threatens a split in the wider Communion, given the conservative attitudes of many African and Asian churches.
“Liberal” Dame Sarah Mullally has been named the next Archbishop of Canterbury, the senior bishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion, one of the world’s largest, which includes such churches as the Church of England and the Episcopal Church in the United States.
The Anglican Communion, third largest denomination in the world after Catholic and Orthodox, given its strong presence in former British Empire nations, has a new ‘first among equals’ Archbishop after the role was vacant for almost a year after the previous incumbent resigned over a child safeguarding scandal. The appointment threatens a split in the wider church, given the conservative attitudes of many African and Asian churches that are members of the Anglican Communion.
63-year-old Dame Sarah Mullally, erstwhile Bishop of London, is a former nurse has already come under criticism from survivors of child sex abuse who say she is not distanced enough from the previous Archbishop, reports the Daily Telegraph. The newspaper described Mullally as “outspoken on a number of political and social issues”, while The Guardian describes her as a “theological liberal”.
The new Archbishop was chosen by the 14-member Church of England’s Crown Nominations Commission, chaired by a former head of the UK’s internal spying agency MI5, which advises the Prime Minister on who to choose. The Prime Minister in turn advises the King — who is the head of the Church of England — who appoints the role.
