Former Crediton Bishop named as Archbishop of Canterbury

Dame Sarah Mullally first woman appointed

The former Bishop of Crediton, Dame Sarah Mullally, who's 63, has been announced as the next Archbishop of Canterbury designate.

The current Bishop of London is the first women to be appointed to the role in the Church of England.

Dame Sarah was the first female bishop in the Diocese of Exeter – serving as Bishop of Crediton, which covers the north and east of Devon, from 2015 to 2018.

She was ordained in 2001, and served her curacy in the Diocese of Southwark. In 2012 she was installed as Canon Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral and three years later she took on the role as Suffragan Bishop of Crediton in 2015, where she served for three years.

She previously has a career in nursing and rose to be the government’s youngest ever chief nursing officer. She was made a Dame in recognition of her contribution to nursing.

Earlier this year Dame Sarah Mullally consecrated the current Bishop of Crediton, the Rt. Rev’d Moira Astin, into her role as suffragan bishop at a service at St Paul’s Cathedral, London.

Today Bishop Moira said, “I’m delighted to hear that Bishop Sarah has been appointed as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, especially as she consecrated me a bishop in the summer and was my predecessor-but-one as Bishop of Crediton here in Devon.

“Part of my delight is that she has experience of both urban and rural churches and communities, and so I am confident that when she leads the church in this nation she will have on her heart our villages as well as our towns and cities.”

The Bishop of Exeter, the Rt. Rev’d Dr Mike Harrison said, “I am delighted to see Bishop Sarah appointed to this hugely significant role of Archbishop of Canterbury.

“Sarah is held in great affection in Devon where she served as the first female Bishop of Crediton with great wisdom and pastoral sensitivity.
“Her gifts were clear to many of us then and we are not surprised to see her chosen for London, and now Canterbury.
“We look forward to working with her in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel in word and service and will be holding her in prayer as she takes on such a wide and demanding set of responsibilities.”

The Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt. Rev’d James Grier, who worked with Dame Sarah in her previous role, said, “In the midst of the surprise it feels like many people aren’t surprised. For those of us who have worked with Sarah her exceptional gifts have been evident.

“The role of archbishop is beyond demanding and yet Sarah has consistently demonstrated her ability to go above and beyond expectations. And she always does this with a smile on her face and a wonderful warmth and love for people.

“She was my bishop for 5 years and a pleasure to work with and for. I look forward to serving with her as our archbishop.

“Sarah may not be a true Devonian, but as Bishop of Crediton, she was taken to the hearts of people across Devon, as she took them to her heart. We will certainly be claiming her as one of us now!

“My prayers are with her and her husband Eamonn at this time. I pray that she will lead the church to ever more effectively proclaim and demonstrate the good news of Christ and the abundant love of God to a world that is in such desperate need of it.”

A date for her enthronement ceremony is yet to be announced.