Incoming Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally sets out her stall
Incoming Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally, first female to be elected to the post, says she has received significant support on her nomination, especially from a large section of women.
Dame Sarah was in conversation with former Prime Minister Theresa May, on the BBC Today programme on New Year's Eve.
A ceremony at St Paul's cathedral, London in January will have her election confirmed, and in March she will be formally installed as 106th Archbishop of Canterbury at Canterbury cathedral.
There is opposition not just to a woman leading the Church, but to women becoming priests in the wider Anglican Communion, both in the UK and abroad.
Dame Sarah said her approach has been to encourage clergy in ministry, even if they were theologically opposed to women's ordination.
The incoming archbishop believes the Church of England “can never be complacent” over female safeguarding, amid recent scandals.
Bishop Sarah said: “The Church of England has had significant safeguarding failures, for which we are truly sorry.
“However, the Church has made progress over the last 10 years, certainly in the time that I've been a bishop.
"The voice of survivors is much more prevalent and involved. There are much more rigorous processes.
"The professionalism and the number of safeguarding professionals are much higher."
The Archbishop-elect spoke of the role that independent scrutiny can play in the church’s safeguarding procedures, with audits of dioceses underway.
The Archbishop-elect also reaffirmed her opposition to assisted dying to “protect the most vulnerable in society”.
Legislation is currently being debated in the House of Lords, where the bishops sit.
“We need to have a view where everybody is made in the image of God.”
“Those who support the bill talk about choice.
"I'm not sure we have choice - we don't properly fund palliative care, we don't properly fund palliative-care research,” she added, referencing her previous role as a senior chief nursing officer in London.
In a divided society, she said the church can be “providing spaces for listening and for increased community cohesion,” adding that she has witnessed a “hunger for relationships” among young people coming to church for the first time.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, which has churches located in every global continent. She also has a role as primary bishop of the Church of England.
The Church of Ireland comes under the Anglican Communion.