Sarah Mullally

Sarah Mullally (born March 26, 1962, Woking, England) is the 106th archbishop of Canterbury, the first woman to be appointed in the more than 1,400-year history of the office in the Church of England. Her election was confirmed at a legal ceremony on January 28, 2026, making her the senior bishop—first among equals—of the Anglican Communion, the worldwide body of 85 million Anglicans in communion with the see of Canterbury. She was installed as archbishop of Canterbury at a historical ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral on March 25, 2026.

(What Happens When the Archbishop of Canterbury Is Enthroned?)

Early life

Sarah Elisabeth Bowser grew up in a middle-class family, the youngest of four children. Her childhood was spent in the diverse, suburban town of Woking, where she attended Winston Churchill Comprehensive School and Woking Sixth Form College, both of which are state-funded institutions. At age 16, while preparing for her confirmation in the Church of England, a friend challenged her to commit to following Jesus rather than professing a merely cultural faith—an episode she has later described as formative. This conversion to a more personal faith influenced her subsequent sense of vocation and contributed to her decision to pursue a career in nursing.

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Career

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Mullally, who has spoken openly about the challenges posed by her dyslexia, was educated at South Bank Polytechnic (now London South Bank University) and at Heythrop College, University of London. During her studies she met Eamonn Mullally, a fellow student, and the two attended church together; they were married in 1987. She began her career in the National Health Service as a cancer nurse and later moved into health administration, rising to become England’s chief nursing officer at age 37, the youngest person to be appointed to the post. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to nursing, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005.

Mullally decided to follow a call to ministry while working as the chief nursing officer. She trained at the South East Institute of Theological Education (now St. Augustine’s College of Theology) and was ordained as a priest in 2002. She initially served as a self-supporting minister in the diocese of Southwark before leaving her government health care position in 2004, a move she then described as “the biggest decision I have ever made.” In 2012 she became a canon treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral and was consecrated as the suffragan bishop of Crediton in the diocese of Exeter in 2015—the fourth woman to become a bishop in the Church of England. In 2018 she became the first woman appointed bishop of London, the Church of England’s third most senior position after the archbishops of Canterbury and York.

That year Mullally began her service in the House of Lords as one of the lords spiritual and was sworn in as a member of Queen Elizabeth II’s Privy Council to advise her on formal proclamations and orders. Mullally became dean of the Chapels Royal in 2019.

Stances

Mullally has played a significant role in the Church of England’s debates over sexuality. While emphasizing pastoral sensitivity and the need to support LGBTQ+ individuals within the church, she has also operated within its official position, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. From 2020 to 2023 she helped lead the Living in Love and Faith process, which resulted in the introduction of the Prayers of Love and Faith. She has characterized these blessings of same-sex unions as “a step forward” while continuing to affirm the Church’s traditional teaching. This approach has sought to maintain unity within a deeply divided church while avoiding the alienation of more conservative Anglican factions.

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She holds similarly nuanced views on abortion. She has resisted being labeled as pro-choice and supports the Church of England’s general opposition to abortion, tempered by limited exceptions. She has also warned that expanding abortion access could weaken safeguards and harm vulnerable women. In a 2025 interview with Church Times, she stated:

This can be a complex debate, and I don’t think my or others’ views will be so simply categorized. I support the Church of England’s principled opposition to abortion, which comes with a recognition that there will be strictly limited conditions under which abortion could also be preferable to any available alternatives. Above all else, women facing unwanted pregnancies require compassion and care, and a path that supports them. They are confronted with the toughest of selections, and they need to be supported.

On the issue of assisted suicide, Mullally has taken a clearer and more traditional stance. Drawing on both her nursing background and her theological commitments, she has consistently opposed the legalization of assisted dying. She argues that such measures risk undermining the value of human life and could place subtle pressure on vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly or seriously ill, to end their lives prematurely. Instead, she has advocated for improved palliative care and greater support for those at the end of life, emphasizing dignity through care rather than through assisted death.

Archbishop of Canterbury

In October 2025, after a lengthy selection process that ran nearly 11 months, Mullally was named the 106th archbishop of Canterbury. With her predecessor, Justin Welby, having resigned in 2024 over his involvement in the mishandling the case of a serial abuser, she will soon lead a church tarnished by scandal. Her historic appointment, approved by King Charles III, signals a new chapter for the Church of England, but it may deepen divisions with more conservative members of the global Anglican Communion. Indeed, the Anglican Communion has been polarized on a number of issues, including the ordination of female and gay clergy, abortion, and the recognition of same-sex marriage, and her naming has not been well-received by groups who oppose her more progressive stances or the ordination of women bishops in general. Others have noted, however, that her positions are at least consistent and well-known, arguably a safe choice for a church seeking healing and restoration. It was against this backdrop that Mullally made her first address following her appointment, stating:

Some will be asking what it means for a woman to lead the Church of England, and to take on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s global role in the Anglican Communion. I intend [to] be a shepherd who enables everyone’s ministry and vocation to flourish, whatever our tradition.

As a form of spiritual preparation ahead of her installation in March 2026, Mullally undertook a pilgrimage from London to Canterbury on foot. Accompanied by her husband and others, she followed the Becket Camino route—believed to have been taken by the archbishop of Canterbury St. Thomas Becket—from St. Paul’s Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral, traveling about 140 km (87 miles) over the course of six days. She is the first modern archbishop of Canterbury to make such a journey before being installed.

Her installation ceremony, held on the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25, was rich in tradition and symbolism that embraced the diversity of the Anglican Communion. Unique touches included a Gospel reading in Spanish, an African choir, singing in Urdu, and an oath on the Saint John’s Bible (2011) rather than the traditional Canterbury Gospels.

Mullally will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 in 2032.

Personal life

Mullally is married to Eamonn Mullally, an information technology and enterprise architect. They have two adult children, Liam and Grace.

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