The Times editorial
If managing England’s men’s football team is the ultimate impossible job, then being Archbishop of Canterbury comes close. Given that she turns 64 in March and must retire at 70, Sarah Mullally, whose “confirmation of election” took place at St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday will serve a relatively short time as spiritual leader of the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican communion.
Yet given her in-tray at Lambeth Palace, her ministry will inevitably be tricky. Having become chief nursing officer for England aged 37, and now the first female ABC in the 1,429-year history of the role, the Most Rev and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally is clearly a woman of ability. As she takes up the primatial cross, she will need to deploy all her administrative and political skills.
Having collapsed during the pandemic, when the church (with indecent haste) slammed its doors shut, regular attendance at services has ticked back up in recent years. The so-called “quiet revival” of Christian faith has, however, largely bypassed the Anglican church in favour of Catholicism and Pentecostalism. The average attendance at Church of England services on any given Sunday in 2024 was about 580,000, less than 1 per cent of the population. The average age of a churchgoer is 61. When that 61-year-old was born, closer to 5 per cent of the English population went to services. Thus, Dame Sarah’s goal must be to reverse what appears to be an inexorable decline. Her new position has lain vacant for over a year. Her biggest problem may be that most inhabitants of what is still nominally a Christian country will not have noticed.
Selection of widespread media coverage, from the Church of England media centre
BBC News at Ten – 28/01/2026 – BBC iPlayer (at around 23:54)
Six O’Clock News – President Trump says ‘time is running out’ for Iran to make a deal – BBC Sounds (at around 11:06)
First female Archbishop of Canterbury pledges help for ‘fractured world’ | Times
First female Archbishop of Canterbury pledges change | BBC
I will speak out on misogny, first female Archbishop of Canterbury says | BBC
First female Archbishop of Canterbury: Why does it matter?
First female Archbishop of Canterbury vows to speak out on misogny | Independent
New Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally HECKLED as she’s confirmed | Mirror
Sarah Mullally confirmed as archbishop of Canterbury, first woman to lead the church | ABC
Sarah Mullally confirmed as first woman archbhishop of Canterbury | Gulf News
BBC News chaos as Archbishop security swarm protestor as ceremony interrupted | Express
Who is Sarah Mullally? First female Archbishop of Canterbury appointed | LBC
First female Archbishop of Canterbury legally confirmed at St Paul’s service | Standard
First woman Archbishop of Canterbury pledges to speak out on misogny | Standard
First female Archbishop of Canterbury pledges to speak out on misogyny | Liverpool Echo
Dame Sarah Mullally confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury | ITN
Election on first female Archbishop of Canterbury confirmed at St Paul’s Cathedral | Church Times
Sarah Mullally confirmed as 106th archbishop of Canterbury | ENS
First female Archbishop of Canterbury pledges to challenge misogny | Premier
Sarah Mullally officially confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury | Christian Today
First female Archbishop of Canterbury heckled on day one | Telegraph
First female archbishop of Canterbury vows to call out misogny | Guardian
Bishop Sarah Mullally becomes first woman to lead Church of England | Financial Times
Dame Sarah Mullally becomes first female Archbishop of Canterbury | Channel 4 News
Will Anglican Communion be split over female Archbishop? | Channel 4 News
Video: Heckler objects to swearing in of first female Archbishop of Canterbury | Metro