You Tube Theology

New Testament scholar and former bishop, N.T. Wright comments on the historic rise of Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury in a clip from his interview with Faithfully Magazine (https://faithfullymag.com)
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As the bells of Canterbury Cathedral prepare to ring out this Wednesday, March 25, for the historic installation of Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the global Anglican Communion finds itself at a defining crossroads.

For the first time in 1,400 years, a woman will occupy the seat of St. Augustine. It’s a move New Testament scholar — and former Bishop of Durham — N.T. Wright describes as a “thankless task” that will require the Most Reverend Mullally to “nurse” a fractured church.

Mullally was chosen to succeed Justin Welby, who resigned in late 2024 “after facing increasing pressure to stand down over his failure to report” a prolific child abuser, according to the BBC.

In an exclusive interview with Faithfully Magazine ahead of the installation, Wright offered a candid assessment of the challenges facing Mullally, who closed out her tenure as Bishop of London. While Wright has long been a vocal proponent of women’s ordination, his most provocative remarks centered on the sheer weight of the office she is about to inherit.

Perhaps most notable was Wright’s reflection on Mullally’s professional background. Before her calling to the priesthood, Mullally served as the Chief Nursing Officer for England and was the youngest person ever appointed to the post. Wright suggested that this unique history — which includes a Damehood for her contributions to nursing — might be the archbishop’s greatest asset in a role currently defined by global friction.

“I pray for her,” Wright said. “She was a senior nurse before she was ordained… she will need that nursing ability to nurse the Church of England and the Anglican Communion in the days to come.”

Wright’s characterization of the church as a patient in need of “nursing” underscores the deep theological and structural divisions Mullally faces. Chief among them are ongoing disagreements over human sexuality and the broader realignment of global Christianity, as influence continues to shift from the Global North to the Global South. Against that backdrop, the installation — held on the Feast of the Annunciation — will emphasize themes of “healing and hope,” with Mullally inviting NHS nurses and hospice carers to be part of the 2,000-person congregation.

Bishop Mullally’s installation will be a massive display of global Christianity, featuring music and readings in six languages, including a Kyrie sung in Urdu and a gospel reading in Spanish. Notably, five of the “Africa Six” — the first female Anglican bishops from across the African continent — will be in attendance, embodying the “polychrome” church Wright often champions as a sign of victory over worldly divisions.

While the Archbishop of Canterbury holds no legal authority over the Episcopal Church in the United States, the office serves as the “focus of unity” for the estimated 85-million-member Anglican Communion. For American Episcopalians — who have long navigated the tensions of gender and LGBTQ+ inclusion — Mullally’s installation is a symbolic milestone. Mullally notably led the Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith process, which introduced prayers for same-sex couples, a move that resonates with the ongoing American theological dialogue.

However, as the “first among equals,” Mullally must balance the progressive leanings of Western provinces with more conservative movements, such as the Global Anglican Future Conference, and provinces in Africa and Asia. Provinces, or autonomous member churches, currently stand at 42 and span 165 countries.

For some, Mullally’s ascent is a test of whether a diverse global body can stay together under the leadership of a woman who Wright believes must now “nurse” a body wounded by centuries of tradition and modern-day friction. (Source: https://faithfullymagazine.com/sarah-mullally-first-woman-archbishop-church-of-england/)