A female bishop may become the first woman to hold the position of archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England.
A job description for the next Archbishop of Canterbury has gone live, seeking a leader with the “utmost integrity” – and, for the first time in the church’s history, they could be a woman.
Justin Welby left the vacancy in January after resigning following a damning review into the Church of England’s handling of an abuse scandal.
The archbishop is the most senior bishop and is the spiritual leader of the church and worldwide Anglican Communion.
This week, a so-called ‘statement of needs’ was published by the Diocese of Canterbury, setting out a long list of requirements for the 106th archbishop.
These include:
• A person with “theological depth” who is a strong communicator with people of all ages and backgrounds;
• Someone of the “utmost integrity who is able to speak honestly” about issues and injustices in the church;.
• A “servant leader who shows compassion towards the disadvantaged and marginalised”;
• Being “unapologetic about offering a Christian perspective to local, national, and international dialogue”;
• A willingness to ordain and consecrate both men and women, support the ministry of both, and may themselves be male or female;
• Having previously “worked, and will continue to work constructively” around ongoing discussions around blessing services for same-sex couples, but also someone who can “embrace” both those who support and oppose same-sex marriage in the church.
Women have been ordained in the Church of England for a number of years, but no woman has ever been in the top role.
Guli Francis-Dehqani, bishop of Chelmsford, has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next archbishop of Canterbury.
If selected, she would become the 106th archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to hold the office.
Her rise comes at a time of growing visibility for female bishops, a change enabled only in 2014 when the Church of England altered its laws to allow their appointment.
According to numbers released last year by the Church of England General Synod, women comprise around 30% of bishops in the denomination.
The nomination process is handled by the Canterbury Crown Nominations Commission, which will be chaired by Lord Evans of Weardale, the former director general of MI5.
The commission’s first meeting will occur later this month, with at least two more in July and September.
A nomination requires support from two-thirds of voting members in a secret ballot, with a formal nomination for Welby’s successor expected by autumn.Candidates have historically already held senior leadership roles. They must be at least 30 years old – and generally younger than 70.
Typically, rather than applying, candidates are “invited” to take part in the process.
Earlier this year, a public consultation with over 11,000 people took place to give people the opportunity to submit candidates and desirable qualities.
It is thought the candidate could be announced by the autumn, a year after Welby resigned from the job.
Welby announced he was stepping down in November 2024 following failures in handling a church abuse scandal involving barrister and religious camp leader John Smyth QC.
He is thought to be the most prolific abuser associated with the church.
Guli Francis-Dehqani
Francis-Dehqani, 58, was born in Iran and fled the country with her family following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Her brother, Bahram, was shot dead in 1980. Her father, then the Anglican bishop in Iran, survived an attempt on his life, as had her mother, who was the daughter of another bishop.
The family settled in the United Kingdom, where her father served as a bishop in exile, according to The Times.
She later studied at Nottingham and Bristol universities, was ordained in 1999, and became bishop of Loughborough in 2017 before moving to Chelmsford in 2021.
Michael Beasley, bishop of Bath and Wells, and Thabo Makgoba, archbishop of Cape Town, are also considered strong candidates. Star Sports has listed Makgoba, the most senior Anglican bishop in South Africa, at 25 to 1.
Francis-Dehqani has drawn attention for her criticism of immigration policy in the U.K.
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