Church of England appoints Sarah Mullally as first woman Bishop of London

A former nurse was appointed the Bishop of London on Monday, the first time the senior role within the Church of England has gone to a woman.

Sarah Mullally, 55, will be installed early next year as the 133rd Bishop of London, the third most powerful job in the Anglican church. Her appointment was approved by the British government and Queen Elizabeth.

At a news conference in St Paul’s Cathedral, Mullally said she was “delighted and slightly terrified” at her nomination, which comes as the church is trying to diversify its hierarchy. Libby Lane was consecrated the church’s first female bishop in 2015.

“If our churches are to be more relevant to our community, this means that we need churches that are led by priests who are women, who come from black, Asian and ethnic minority groups,” Mullally said. “To have churches that are confident, we need local ministers and priests who are enabled to be the best that they are. London could be that gift to the rest of the Church of England to demonstrate how unity can work.”

Mullally conceded that her appointment would not please church traditionalists. Her predecessor, Richard Chartres, refused to ordain female priests.

“One of the wonderful things about London and its church is that it reflects the diversity of the church, and I am very respectful of those who, for theological reasons, cannot accept my role as a priest or a bishop,” Mullally said at the news conference.