New Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally faces major challenges ahead as she navigates deep theological divisions
The appointment of Dame Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury is a historic moment which has not surprisingly brought a mixed reaction within the global Anglican Communion she now presides over.
Existing divisions within Anglicanism mainly focus on women's ordination and same-sex relationships.
Her liberal theological stance is reported to create tension with conservative factions in the African and Asian churches, with the conservative Gafcon group there expressing dismay, while some progressive groups in western church society welcome the appointment.
A key challenge for the new archbishop will be navigating the deep theological divisions and potentially preventing the Anglican Communion from splitting under her tenure of office.
On women's ordination, Archbishop Mullally supports the ordination of women clerics, a theological stance that is a strong point of contention for conservative Bible-believing Anglicans.
On same-sex relationships, her appointment as a woman will increase pressure on the recognition of gay relationships within the church, an issue that has already led to threats of schism in the past.
Conservative Anglican churches in the Global South (Africa and Asia), like those in the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Gafcon), view the appointment negatively, while some churches in the global north and west are supportive, which includes the Church of Ireland and the other Anglican denominations in the United Kingdom.
A major concern is whether Mullally can navigate the deeply divided Anglican Communion to prevent a formal split between liberal and conservative factions.
The Church of England is not structured like a traditional hierarchy but as a coalition of different legal entities, which presents a structural challenge to unifying the Church.
Some within Anglicanism believe Mullally's "kindness and inclusive nature" may be interpreted as attempts to reassure both liberal and conservative wings of the Church, which some Anglican observers say could lead to "incoherence and contradiction" in her leadership.
The new archbishop, from Woking in Surray, is described as a "theological liberal" who supports the inclusion of those who do not accept the ordination of women, which highlights the ongoing theological disputes.
She has a background as a nurse and was appointed a dame for her senior contributions to the profession in the National Health Service, bringing a unique perspective to her role.
Her involvement in the Church of England's 'Living in Love and Faith' (LLF) process has already exposed the deep divisions she will have to address.
The former NHS chief nurse in 1999-2004, is now aged 63, and is married with two grown-up children.
She became a Church of England cleric in 2006 and was appointed as the first female bishop of London in 2018 - the third most senior member of clergy in the Church of England.
She used her first public statement to condemn the "horrific violence" of last week's horrific Islamic attack on a Jewish synagogue in Manchester, saying "hatred and racism cannot tear us apart".
Archbishop Mullally, from Woking in Surray, succeeds as archbishop the Rev Justin Welby, a liberal politically-motivated senior church man who stood down in November 2024.
She is the 106th Archbishop of Canturbury, a role that is traced back to the 16th century Protestant Reformation years in England.
* Church of Ireland primate Archbishop John McDowell expressed his best wishes to Bishop Sarah Mullally on her nomination to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury following the announcement by the Crown Nominations Commission.
"I assure her of the prayers of the members of the Church of Ireland as she enters into this challenging and important role in the life of the Anglican Communion,” said Archbishop McDowell.