These were the words of Sydney Anglicans. However, speaking as progressive Christians, we view Dame Sarah Mullally’s appointment as a sign of hope and a new era. We believe her leadership — including appointing a woman to this office — is a pastoral response the Church needs given its current state.

Reflecting on the Appointment of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury

A careful response from the Anglican community

Dame Sarah Mullally’s installation as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury has prompted measured prayer, praise for her public service, and renewed debate across the Anglican Communion. Her background in healthcare and executive leadership has been widely commended and framed as a solid foundation for national and international ministry.

Yet the appointment arrives at a fraught moment. The Church of England faces deep theological disagreement over matters including human sexuality, the authority of Scripture and institutional unity. These tensions have left many adherents — particularly those committed to historic, reformed readings of Scripture — uneasy about the church’s trajectory.

Critics within that constituency argue that some public comments from Dame Sarah diverge from what they consider clear biblical teaching, and that such positions risk further fracturing rather than reconciling the Communion. For orthodox Anglicans, confidence in the symbolic leadership of Canterbury has been tested by a series of missteps they say failed to defend traditional doctrine.

The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury once served as a unifying emblem for Anglicans worldwide. For many, that authority has been diminished by perceived departures from biblical teaching, prompting them to look to other leaders for spiritual oversight.

Nonetheless, other voices — including progressive Christians — welcome the appointment as an opportunity for renewal and pastoral reorientation. They see in Dame Sarah qualities suited to lead a church that must balance pastoral care, institutional reform and public witness in a rapidly changing society.

The challenge now is for the Church of England and its new leadership to pursue faithfulness, charity and clarity — restoring trust where it has been lost while seeking to minister faithfully across theological divides.

For the original statement from the Commissary, see the official announcement.