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Dame Sarah Mullally has been named as the incoming spiritual leader of the Church of England - creating a milestone as the initial female to be selected for this important office.

A former NHS chief nurse, the 63-year-old entered the priesthood in 2006 and was named as the initial woman to serve as Bishop of London in 2018 - the third most senior member of religious leadership in the Anglican Church.

This signifies the initial occasion in almost five centuries of tradition that the Anglican Communion has nominated a woman to lead it.

Groundbreaking Selection

The Church has been without someone in the leading position for approximately twelve months after the previous Archbishop stepped down over a safeguarding scandal.

He departed following a critical investigation into a serial offender linked to the Church. The investigation found that he "could and should" have notified authorities about the misconduct by John Smyth of male youths to police in 2013.

The Archbishop of York assumed most of the former Archbishop's responsibilities in an temporary arrangement, and was one of the voting members of the body charged with choosing his successor.

Political Process

In line with tradition, the process of selecting a new archbishop involves a candidate being given to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and then forwarded to the sovereign.

Sir Keir has welcomed the selection of Dame Sarah, commenting: "This position will serve an important function in our country's affairs. I offer my best wishes and look forward to collaborating."

While, technically, the monarch is leader of the Church of England, the individual holding the role of spiritual leader is the highest-ranking cleric and is the spiritual leader of the Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Royal and International Response

The monarch has congratulated Dame Sarah on her new role, "a position of great significance in the UK and across the global Anglican Communion", the royal household stated.

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, which advocates for traditional positions, has criticised the selection, stating that although certain groups support the decision, "the majority of the Anglican Communion still maintains that the scriptures mandates a all-male bishopric."

Transition Period

She does not legally take on her new role until a formal approval process in the new year, and an installation ceremony comes later, after they have paid homage to the King.

In a statement on Friday after her new role was finalized, she stated: "I recognize this is a significant undertaking but I undertake it with a sense of peace and faith in divine guidance to carry me as He always has."

Addressing media at Canterbury Cathedral, she noted that "during a period that craves certainty and group identity, the Anglican tradition provides a more subtle approach but stronger."

Addressing Violence

Talking about the "horrific violence" of the previous day's incident on a Jewish house of worship in Manchester, she said "we are witnessing prejudice that rises up through divisions across our society."

She continued: "The religious community have a duty to be a group who support the Jewish community against antisemitism in every manifestation. Prejudice and discrimination of any kind cannot be allowed to tear us apart."

Background and Career

A mother of two, she spent over 35 years in the NHS, becoming the youngest-ever chief nursing officer for the country in 1999.

While serving voluntarily in the religious community at the time, it was just a short time after that she decided to become a clergy member and was promptly assigned helping make reforms in the way the institution dealt with abuse.

In 2012 she became canon treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral before assuming the role of diocesan leader in the diocese of Exeter in 2015.

As Bishop of London she was regarded as someone who used her experience as an health service manager to help modernise the church district.

Personal Philosophy

"I am often asked what it has been like to have had two careers, first in the NHS and now in the Church.

"I like to consider that I have consistently maintained one vocation: to pursue Christian faith, to know him and to share his message, continually striving to live with compassion in the service of others, whether as a nurse, a religious leader, or a bishop."

Upcoming Responsibilities

Possibly the most urgent thing in her in-tray is still to chart a better path towards addressing abuse and approaching with greater empathy those impacted by such incidents.

There has also been a reduction in church attendance, though the capital has to a degree resisted this pattern.

One of the areas she has been most outspoken about is end-of-life choices - she is a strong critic, as was her predecessor.

When legislation was passed in the House of Commons, she described it as "impractical and dangerous and poses a risk to the most at-risk individuals in our society."

Modern Positions

One of her roles as Bishop of London was to chair a body trying to steer the Church's decision on whether to sanction gay unions.

She characterized the decision to finally allow clergy to bless same-sex couples in last year as "a moment of hope for the religious community."

Rowan Williams, summarised her position as necessitating a "awareness of current affairs and a understanding of scripture."

Dr Williams explained to journalists "the pressure of having an position on all matters is quite heavy."