🔗 Share this article Dame Sarah Mullally Selected as Pioneering Woman Leader of the Church of England Sarah Mullally has been named as the inaugural woman leader of the Church of England, with the government confirming the new spiritual leader of Canterbury shortly after a year since Justin Welby’s resignation over the handling of a safeguarding scandal. This represents the inaugural instance an leader of the Anglican church has been chosen since the Church of England opened the episcopate to women in 2014. The leader is seen as the religious head of the Anglican church worldwide and additionally holds a role in the Lords. The archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell handled key tasks temporarily, and was one of the voting members of the group responsible for selecting Welby’s successor. The Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) had to approve the selection by a two-thirds majority vote. After agreement, in line with tradition, the procedure includes submitting a name to the PM, currently Keir Starmer and then submitted to the sovereign. She will not officially begin the role until a electoral confirmation in January, with an installation ceremony taking place later, after they have paid homage to the king.