🔗 Share this article The Incoming Archbishop of the Church of England: Obstacles Facing the Groundbreaking Woman Selection Across the nation, many celebrated the selection of the first ever female senior bishop of Canterbury. Following generations of women seeking for leadership roles within the church, a woman will now hold the highest position in the Anglican Church. This appointment was embraced not just because the bishop is a female, but because she is seen as a wise, intelligent, brave, and caring figurehead. Opposition and Concerns Unsurprisingly, some people voiced displeasure—whether due to her sex or owing to her endorsement for the blessing of LGBT unions. Additionally, a number of pointed out concerns about a serious protection case in the past that was mismanaged by her team in the diocese of the capital. However, the bishop—while quite diminutive in stature—possesses resilience, which will be essential. She endured seven years as senior clergy of the capital, which covers one of the most contentious areas in the nation regarding women in clergy roles. Sources suggest that one in five parishes in the city have passed measures to restrict women from serving as vicars or blessing the bread and wine. She has encountered gender-based discrimination: in February, at the church assembly, she became emotional while describing the numerous daily prejudices she has endured. One can assume that some of those incidents were far from minor. Challenges in Leadership As the senior bishop, Bishop Sarah will oversee a religious body that is open to women being clergy, but at the same time, there are multiple current bishops who accept her as their incoming archbishop but would not personally receive communion from her. In addition, a senior clergy member rejects the idea that women should hold authority over males in the church. Per data, around six hundred churches continue to limit female clergy, where she might not be able to lead the bread and wine or preach. As international leader as leader of the Anglican communion—including 85 million members in over 165 countries—she will additionally encounter challenges due to her gender. While the majority of regions in the global church now accept women clergy, a few do not. Her stance on same-sex relations—she supports allowing priests to bless gay unions, provided they consent—is likewise opposed by some. Major and powerful groups within the Church of England and global community oppose this. A conservative network, a group of traditionalist congregations, has already announced that it receives the appointment of her selection with sorrow. The Path Forward So, what lies ahead? By the time she is enthroned as senior bishop in spring next year, there will be just six years before she is expected to retire at age 70. Yet a lot she can achieve in that time. For this, it is thought she will need to show leadership that guides the church in a defined path. In the past, the rallying cry has been unity, and leaders have gone round in circles to please all sides—even with established procedures for resolving disputes through prayerful debates and ballots at the church assembly. Such an approach has brought to a situation where extra bishops are assigned solely for congregations who reject female priests or bishops. The temptation will be to demand further separate leadership on other issues, such as LGBT rites. However this direction will lead to more fragmentation and increased members being not allowed to give or receive the bread and wine together—something that is at the very heart of the essence to be a congregation. Having the courage to follow due process, make rulings, and avoid providing complicated and costly provision for those who don’t win the vote will bring not only clarity, but in the end enhanced cohesion too. Recently, while visiting a Anglican school, a student stated that a boy had told her that the scriptures says women must be under the authority of males. I would have liked to tell her that this does not reflect what the Anglican Church holds, full stop. Yet that was not possible—as parishes are allowed to teach this. In a world with so many problems, widespread hatred, misogyny, and racism, it would be beneficial for the Anglican Church to have an authentic voice at its top that challenges the structures of male privilege that drive harm against females and confronts the systemic sexism that is currently being overlooked. It is hoped that the selection of the pioneering woman archbishop of Canterbury will be a big step towards that goal.