“Keep the pattern”

Minister’s Letter - 9 October 2025

Dame Sarah Mullaly, Bishop of London, Archbishop of Canterbury-elect

Friends in Christ, last Friday, the appointment of a new Archbishop of Canterbury was announced, Dame Sarah Mullaly, the first female in the role. Previously she had been chief nursing officer in the UK’s National Health Service (the youngest person ever appointed to that role). Her experience and training appears to be much more in management (both secular and ecclesiastical) than in parish ministry work.

You can see the responses from Sydney Anglican leaders, whom I respect here:

• Bishop Peter Hayward, Commissary for the Archbishop of Sydney (on leave)

• Canon Dr Mark Thompson, Principal Moore Theological College, member of Cathedral Chapter.

Mark reminds us to pray for the Archbishop-designate. So here is a good prayer from the service for ‘Consecrating of a Bishop’ that applies to all bishops and us who may pay attention to them…

Almighty God, by your Son Jesus Christ you gave many excellent gifts to your apostles, and ordered them to feed your flock; bless all bishops, the pastors of your church, that they may diligently preach your word and rightly instruct from it your people; and grant that your people may follow it faithfully, so that all may receive the crown of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Page 616, An Australian Prayer Book, based on the 1662 Book of Common Prayer]

It is, of course, worth underlining that the Archbishop of Canterbury has no constituional role in the Anglican Church of Australia.

Nor is it even correct to refer to the Archbishop of Canterbury as the Head of the Church of England – that role is occupied by the Lord Jesus Christ – and the English monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England! Rather the Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop of the Church there, and has oversight for the ministry and mission in the southern two-thirds of England. Historically, this Archbishop has also chaired various kinds of meetings of representatives from the Communion of Anglican Churches across the globe.

When news of the appointment came, my mind went back to a Letter ot the Editor of the Church Times, published early in 2025, from the Reverend James Dudley-Smith, an English vicar, and son of the late hymn-writer Timothy Dudley-Smith. Here’s what he wrote:

Madam, — I took a moment in the New Year period to consider what I would pray for and wish to see in the next Archbishop of Canterbury. It is not a full list, of course, nor is it in order of importance, nor is it intended as criticism of anyone. This is how it came out on paper:

Someone who has real experience of parish incumbency.
Someone who knows that the Church of England is its local churches.
Someone who would be happy to discard deferential titles and mitres.
Someone who does the hard work of following due process, or changing it by due process.
Someone who does not try to govern the Church of England.
Someone who has not tried to impose a diocesan strategy.
Someone who will teach the doctrine of Christ as the Church of England has received it.
Someone in whom I can see Jesus.
Someone who is not able to make a text mean the opposite of what it plainly means.
Someone who would be willing to receive the same stipend as the rest of us.
Someone who would pray and work for more followers of Jesus.
Someone who will do much more church than politics.
Someone who is not omnicompetent — and knows it.
Someone who has a track record of kindness to family and colleagues.

I’ll keep praying.

I find it interesting to look back at the list now. I don’t like mitres (the funny hats some bishops wear), but I know one or two gospel-foscussed bishops, who occasionally wear them to get a hearing in a diocese they have been called to serve and which has been low on solid Bible preaching.

And there is a place for duly respecting various offices, although not so much for the occupants delighting in their positions of power and prestige.

And Peter Jensen was a good archbishop, even though he never had experience leading a parish. So as Dudley-Smith said, not all items on his list are equally important.

But alongside reflecting the character of Jesus, an evangelistic prayerfulness, and a track record of kindness, here are the key not-negotiables that Dudley-Smith identifies:

• Someone who will teach the doctrine of Christ as the Church of England has received it.

• Someone who is not able to make a text mean the opposite of what it plainly means.

I have been reading 2 Timothy again in my quiet times, and this is nothing else than what Paul calls on Timothy for as a church leader:

• “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you – guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” – 2 Timothy 1:13-14

• “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15 (see also 2 Tim 3:16-17)

By contrast, Dame Mullaly is known as gender-progressive and ‘pro choice’, although apparently also courteous and kind to conservatives, as conservatives ought to be in return.

Most notably, as Bishop of London, the Archbishop-designate also chaired the process seeking to permit the blessing of same-sex marriages in the Church of England, and voted personally in favour of this step.

While we must treat all people with respect and compassion, sadly, her public advocacy is contrary to the teaching of Jesus (some of which we will hear this Sunday). It undermines the authority of Scripture. It contradicts the teaching contained in the marriage service in the Book of Common Prayer, our authorised standard of worship. And it undermines the unity of the churches. This is why significant concerns have been expressed by our own leaders.

That said, please again pray for the Archbishop-designate, that along with all ministers and church members, myself included, she might be constantly reformed through the power of the Holy Spirit, and moved towards greater faithfulness in life and teaching, by the words of Scripture that are constantly read in our churches.

Warmly in Christ,
Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney