Sarah Mullally becomes first female Archbishop of Canterbury but what's her record on LGBTQ+ rights?

Dame Sarah Mullally has been appointed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury - the first woman to hold the role in its 1,400-year history. 

The announcement follows nearly a year of vacancy after Justin Welby stepped down amid criticism over his handling of a safeguarding scandal. Mullally, currently Bishop of London, will formally assume the role following a legal ceremony in January, with an enthronement service to follow at Canterbury Cathedral. 

Mullally’s tenure as Bishop of London has been marked by a commitment to inclusion and dialogue, particularly around LGBTQ+ issues. She played a key role in the Church’s “Living in Love and Faith” (LLF) process, which sought to address questions of identity, sexuality and marriage within the Anglican tradition.

During debates on the introduction of blessings for same-sex couples - known as the “Prayers of Love and Faith” - Mullally acknowledged the Church’s past failings. “Our eyes have been opened to the harm that we have done, especially to LGBTI+ people,” she said, urging the Church to walk the “harder, narrow path of staying together” despite deep divisions.

While she has not publicly advocated for same-sex marriage in church, Mullally has emphasised the need for pastoral care and respectful engagement. “It would have been wonderful had the LLF process led to a consensus, but it was not so,” she admitted, adding that the Church must not lose sight of the real people affected by its decisions. 

In January 2023, Mullally joined other bishops in issuing a formal apology for the Church’s “shameful” treatment of LGBTQ+ people. She said: “We realise this behaviour has not reflected the universal love of God for all people.”