The appointment of a new Archbishop is always a moment of profound significance—not only for people of faith, but for the society in which the Church plays such a vital role. That spiritual and societal turning point is heightened as we welcome The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally into this historic position as the first female Archbishop: a lightning rod moment that will echo across communities, across faiths, and across borders.
Yet, alongside the celebration, Bishop Sarah’s nomination has also exposed the persistence of sexism and resistance to women in leadership. Within days of the announcement, some conservative Anglican factions said they would not recognise her spiritual authority, with one prominent cleric writing that he “could not in good conscience accept communion from a woman.” On social media, what should have been a moment of unity was clouded by dismissive jokes about “political correctness” and attacks on her appearance.
Her appointment (and the backlash to it) show that the work of belonging remains unfinished. It’s precisely in that climate of division that Bishop Sarah’s focus on being called to serve, take action and build community – rather than identity – strikes such a chord.
Because churches remain vital to the life of our communities. They are places where people gather across generations, where bonds of neighbourliness are formed, and where loneliness is eased through shared purpose and care.
Bishop Sarah spoke of parish churches as the place where she sees hope in her address at Canterbury Cathedral last Friday — communities of faith quietly and faithfully serving others. Places where food banks are run, the lonely find connection, and communities come together across generations.
She describes hearing “the quiet hum of faith in every community… the welcome extended to every person.” At a time of growing isolation, her vision reminds us that the future of the Church lies in its rootedness in local life and being close to people.
Her appointment is a powerful affirmation of inclusion and representation. It signals that the Church is embracing leadership rooted in care and service – showing that belonging grows stronger when compassion, healing, and diverse voices are placed at its heart.
Her journey to this new role makes the moment even more meaningful. Before she was ordained, Bishop Sarah was a nurse and later Chief Nursing Officer for England.
That experience is not incidental to her new calling, it is profoundly relevant. As she said in the opening words of her address, “Washing feet has shaped my Christian vocation as a nurse, then a priest, then a bishop.”
A life spent in service caring for others, listening to their needs, and supporting them through pain and vulnerability is exactly the preparation needed to lead the Church today. The Anglican Communion, like the wider world, faces deep wounds and divisions.
Bishop Sarah’s widely-recognised caring nature, her instinct to heal, and her belief in service will be essential in nurturing reconciliation, building trust, and renewing the Church’s mission of compassion.
The 2025 Belonging Barometer, the UK’s most extensive survey of belonging undertaken by the Belonging Forum, shows how central faith is to people’s sense of connection. It finds that half of those who belong to a religion report strong feelings of belonging, compared with just 39% of those without a religion.
Christians, in particular, report the strongest sense of belonging, with 51% saying they feel they mostly or completely belong. These findings highlight how faith communities play a vital role in creating the social fabric that holds us together.
Strikingly, people across faith traditions report stronger ties to their neighbours than those with no religion. Around two-thirds of Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Hindus say they know the people living around them, compared to just over half of the non-religious.
Whatever their differences in belief, these communities are united by a practice of neighbourliness – socialising, sharing meals, or helping one another – that exemplifies belonging in action.
Faith, in other words, is not only a matter of personal devotion but also a force for building relationships, alleviating loneliness, and creating resilience. In an age when isolation has become one of the greatest social challenges, such findings are instructive for society as a whole.
This is why Bishop Sarah’s background matters so much. She knows first-hand that healing is both physical and spiritual, both personal and communal. Her life in nursing, combined with her leadership in the Church, gives her a unique capacity to shepherd and nurture the Anglican Communion at a time when compassion and courage are most needed.
Her appointment will also inspire far beyond the UK. Around the world, those who have long felt excluded from positions of authority within faith traditions will see new possibilities. They will be reminded that institutions can evolve, and that belonging grows strongest when everyone has a seat at the table.
As the world looks ahead to Bishop Sarah’s installation at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026, when she will become the first woman to hold this sacred office, we mark not only a historic moment, but a critical turning point. In an age of rising loneliness, division, and disconnection, faith must show up as a force for belonging, healing, and hope. That begins in our local communities.
I urge Bishop Sarah as she prepares for office to make it her priority to strengthening bonds at the parish level – ensuring that churches remain living centres of care, where no one is forgotten and everyone is welcomed. The need could not be greater.