Sarah Mullaly smashed through ‘stained glass ceiling’ as new Archbishop
Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, has been appointed Archbishop of Canterbury — the first woman to lead the Church of England in its 500-year history. “There are people rejoicing”, the Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, told Radio 4: “My WhatsApp was absolutely full on Friday of people, particularly women from around the world, just so delighted that there is no stained glass ceiling now”. But the historic appointment, following a campaign that grew out of the suffragette movement, comes as the church faces profound challenges. Our media briefing reviewed the task ahead, reflecting on her inaugural address and assessing how journalists and commentators see her leadership shaping the church’s future. Read our report on what they said here. View the briefing again on YouTube or listen to the podcast via links here. In summary:
Safeguarding: The CofE has been engulfed by safeguarding failures, which led to Justin Welby’s resignation, and journalist Andrew Graystone says her appointment has caused shock and dismay among victims and survivors, because of the track record of the London diocese in dealing with abuse. More details here
Global rift: The Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion remains deeply divided over same-sex relationships, with schism threatened at home and division entrenched abroad. Resistance to women’s ordination also persists, with seven bishops and more than 580 parishes opposed in England, and historical opposition across much of the global south. The conservative network, the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Gafcon) continues to lead this challenge and said her selection confirmed that the English church had “relinquished its authority to lead”.
Church challenges: In England, dioceses face bankruptcy and congregations continue to dwindle, yet she spoke of “the quiet hum of faith in every community.” In her public role, she acknowledged the church must grapple with complex moral and political issues, from assisted dying and the refugee crisis to war, climate change and fractured communities. She also pledged solidarity with the Jewish community following the terrorist attack on a Manchester synagogue.
Leadership: Faced with this challenging task, Bishop Sarah declared in her address, that she could see hope. Drawing on her experience as a nurse, priest and bishop, she said “the possibility of healing lies in acts of kindness and love”. She would lead as a shepherd, enabling all to flourish. In the many responses since then, people have spoken of her qualities of courage and pastoral care, of the need for clarity and observed that “it’s going to take courageous, compassionate leadership on Sarah’s part to hold things together and to model a different way of leadership”.
Report here. Links to briefing and podcast here.
British Jews mourn 7 October massacre and Manchester synagogue attack
Thousands of people packed Trafalgar Square for a rally to mark the second anniversary of the 7 October attack on Israel, and to share their fear after the terrorist attack on Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester. The Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said they were remembering the 48 hostages still held in captivity, and all subsequent atrocities including the attack in Manchester which left two people dead. He paid tribute to the community there for their tenacity and resilience. Manchester held its own rally on Sunday with hundreds gathering outside Manchester Cathedral, displaying Union Jack and Israeli flags. Yesterday, the funeral was held of one of the victims, Melvin Cravitz, aged 66, who died while trying to barricade the door of the synagogue. Both cities have also seen pro Palestine marches this weekend, despite appeals for organisers to think again. Police arrested 500 people in London for supporting Palestine Action, a proscribed group. In the wake of continuing demonstrations, The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has said that police forces will be granted powers to put conditions on repeat protests, such as to hold events elsewhere if a site has seen repeated protests. She told the BBC she was very worried about the state of community relations and stressed the need to strengthen communities. Story here
Muslim and Jewish leaders: ‘Hatred will not divide us’
Muslim leaders say they stand in solidarity with the Jewish community after the attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue on Yom Kippur, in which two people and the killer died. Imam Qari Asim, in a statement issued by the British Muslim Network, said: “We cannot ignore the growing tide of religious hatred in our country. The bloodshed and violence in the Middle East … must not be allowed to poison our streets in Britain.” The Manchester Council of Mosques said it was shocked and saddened: “Manchester has always been a city where people of all faiths and backgrounds live side by side,” it said. “The Muslim and Jewish communities in particular have long shared strong ties of neighbourliness and co-operation. Any attempt to divide us through hatred will fail — we remain united in our commitment to peace and mutual respect.” Read Maira Butt’s report here
Pope concerned over rise of antisemitism and Manchester attack
The Pope has voiced concern over the rise of antisemitic hatred in the world, mentioning in particular Thursday’s attack on the synagogue in Manchester. He was speaking at the close of Mass in St Peter’s Square, as news emerged of continuing talks over a peace settlement in the Middle East. Mediators are set to meet in Egypt today for indirect talks between Hamas and Israel. He said: “In recent hours, in the dramatic situation in the Middle East, some significant steps forward have been taken in peace negotiations, which I hope will achieve the desired results as soon as possible. I ask all those in positions of responsibility to commit themselves to this path, to bring about a ceasefire and to release the hostages. At the same time, I urge everyone to remain united in prayer, so that the ongoing efforts may put an end to the war and lead us towards a just and lasting peace”. The Pope said he continued to be saddened by the immense suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and greeted a group of pilgrims from Bethlehem.
Home Secretary: attack on mosque in Sussex ‘deeply concerning‘
Police are investigating an arson attack on a mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex, on Saturday night. Night time film has shown two people wearing balaclavas and dark clothing by the front door, spraying accelerant onto the entrance and lighting a fire. There were people inside the mosque at the time, but they were not injured and emergency crews put out the fire. Pictures show the building and a nearby vehicle suffered significant damage. Police say they are treating this as arson with intent to endanger life and are releasing images to track down those responsible. The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says the attack is deeply concerning: “At a time like this, we must stand united. This country’s greatest strength has been its ability to build one nation from many communities. Attacks against Britain’s Muslims are attacks against all Britons and this country itself.”
