Sarah Mullally Enthroned as First Woman Archbishop of Canterbury, Provoking Turmoil in Anglican Communion

Sarah Mullally was enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury on March 25, marking a significant departure from the Church of England’s fourteen-century-old tradition. The installation, held at Canterbury Cathedral before around 2,000 guests, saw Mullally become the first woman to occupy the role since the church’s founding in 597 AD.
The appointment has drawn sharp criticism from orthodox Anglicans worldwide, with the Global South fellowship of conservative churches refusing to recognise her authority. Nigeria’s Archbishop Henry Ndukuba called the decision “devastating,” warning it “ignores the convictions of the majority of Anglicans unable to embrace female headship in the episcopate.” Conservative Anglicans meeting in Abuja went further, electing their own rival leader, further fracturing a Communion already strained over female ordination and same-sex blessings.
Mullally also inherits an institution scarred by abuse scandals, following her predecessor Justin Welby’s resignation over his mishandling of historic abuse cases.
For Catholic observers, the enthronement underscores the deepening theological gulf between Rome and Canterbury, as the Anglican Communion moves further from apostolic tradition on questions of holy orders and church governance.