SERVICE, stability, and shepherding are to be the themes of the newly elected Archbishop of Canterbury’s time in office, she told the General Synod during her first presidential address.
The Most Revd Sarah Mullally is the 106th Archbishop and the primary woman on this office. She set out her vision during her speech on Tuesday morning and spoke of the responsibility of her latest post together with its many challenges.
She recalled the charge, during her confirmation of election service last month, to be “an evangelist, a pastor, a prayerful, penitent and resilient disciple, and a teacher” (News, 30 January). She must also, she said, be “faithful, prophetic, an indication of unity, trust and accountability”, in addition to love the Church in all its diversity, work collegially, and enable “the gifts of others to flourish”.
“Well, I’ll try!” Archbishop Mullally said, to ripples of laughter. Her archiepiscopate could be marked by the decision to serve others, she said, which had been her first calling. “My Christian vocation first led me to be a nurse — then later a priest, then a bishop, and now an Archbishop.
“The theme that has run through all those chapters of my life has been washing feet and serving and caring for others.”
Archbishop Mullally believed that her time as archbishop wouldn’t be to “develop latest programmes and initiatives”, but simply to be a “shepherd” who worked in partnership with others.
“I’ll work with you, Synod, with my fellow bishops, and with our national Church bodies, striving to be certain that the Kingdom is being nurtured all over the place — in parishes, chaplaincies, cathedrals, and schools.
“The role of the Archbishop of Canterbury is complex and difficult. But at its heart is something profound and straightforward. Along with my fellow bishops, I’m called to share the hope that we now have present in Jesus Christ.”
This hope, the sense that the “best is yet to come back” for the Church, could be the thread running throughout her archiepiscopate, she said. She added that she was hopeful about signs, each anecdotal and statistical, of growth and latest life within the Church.
“People are returning to church. They are finding welcome, friendship, community, meaning and purpose. We rejoice with God in these green shoots of hope.”
But nor was she blind to the challenges facing the Church of England.
“We have too often did not recognise or take seriously the abuse of power in all its forms,” she said. “Robust and transparent processes are central to the health of any institution; proper process around appointments; clear guidelines around conduct and good processes for handling concerns, complaints and whistleblowing.”
In particular, Archbishop Mullally spoke of abuse scandals and the necessity to strengthen safeguarding and accountability across the Church. Progress was being made, but she felt that much was left to be done.
“Nowhere is accountability more imperative than in relation to safeguarding, where up to now we now have fallen tragically short. Safeguarding is a fundamental, non-negotiable responsibility, sharpened by our past failings and shaped by the work we still must do.
“I’m committed to bringing an approach of seriousness and focused direction to all matters regarding safeguarding in all contexts within the church. This approach have to be trauma-informed, put victims and survivors at the center of all we do and be committed to proper independence.”
Only by full transparency and independent scrutiny could the Church begin to rebuild the trust that has been broken, she said. “We have to be willing, all the time, for light to be shone on our actions and our decisions. We can only begin to rebuild trust and confidence through openness and integrity.”
There were other storm clouds on the horizon: “inequality and injustice, the volatility of world politics, the climate crisis and more”, in addition to the Church’s own theological divisions. In the face of this, Archbishop Mullally promised to bring “calm, consistency, and compassion”, as she shepherded the Church through this.
“When the wind and the waves are rocking the boat, I recognise my responsibility to give attention to Christ, who calms the waters. I pray that I’m in a position to approach this ministry with calm, consistency, and compassion — as we seek to be what the Church has for therefore long been: a stable presence in an unstable world.”
