Updated Tuesday morning, Friday morning, Saturday morning
The new bishop writes on her blog: I will be a servant.
Let me start with an admission: I am delighted but, yes, slightly terrified to be the next Bishop of London.
I have spent 32 years of my life in London so, for me, this will be returning home.
London is a world-facing city – multi-cultural and multi-faith.
It is a city of energy and diversity. London is open to all.
But it is also a city of inequality and deprivation. A typical woman in Tower Hamlets in east London will live 30 years in poor health, compared to only 12 for a man in Enfield further north.
It is a city where the number of people living alone will rise by over 50% in the next 25 years.
And it is a city where people feel ignored, marginalised and angry…
Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop’s statement on the new Bishop of London
Archbishop Justin Welby has welcomed the news that Bishop Sarah Mullally will be the new Bishop of London.
The Archbishop said:
“Bishop Sarah brings to this remarkable ministry in this great city an extraordinary experience and profound gifts which are guided by her faith in Jesus Christ, who is the foundation of all that she is…
The London diocesan website has Next Bishop of London announced
Church of England press release
Hattie Williams and Tim Wyatt Church Times Sarah Mullally to be the next Bishop of London
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Sarah Mullally appointed bishop of London
BBC News First female Bishop of London appointed
Mark Woods Christian Today Who is Sarah Mullally, the new Bishop of London?
Tola Mbakwe Premier New Bishop of London announced
Updates
Luke Miller (Archdeacon of London) London Welcomes a New Bishop
WATCH Press release at the announcement of the 133rd Bishop of London
BBC News Former nurse appointed as Bishop of London
Forward in Faith Nomination of the next Bishop of London
Melanie McDonagh The Spectator The new Bishop of London is a far cry from her predecessor
Melanie McDonagh and Ross Lydall Evening Standard Former nurse Sarah Mullally appointed first ever female Bishop of London
Olivia Rudgard The Telegraph New bishop of London could pave the way for female archbishop, say campaigners
James Macintyre Christian Today New Bishop of London Sarah Mullally reaches out to conservatives over sexuality and gender
Ian Paul Psephizo ‘Is the new Bishop of London any good?’
Hattie Williams Church Times Have confidence in your new Bishop, London traditionalists are urged
A straightforward message, and singularly lacking in anxiety, from @CardinalNichols: “I congratulate the Rt Rev Sarah Mullally DBE on her appointment as Bishop of London. I assure her of my prayers as she prepares to take up leadership in the thriving Diocese of London. I look forward to our partnership in making Christ known in this diverse and unsleeping city”. I hope the observation from Bishop Pete (in his ad clerum)will gain wide currency: ‘… and sees her vocational experience as nurse, civil servant, priest, and bishop as a totality’. I find that inspiring.
Pious words from Luke Miller. Having tried to be loyal to the ‘mainstream’ why can’t he simply admit ‘we’ve been shafted’?
Thank you, JKR, for showing us this lovely response from Cardinal Nichols – to the preferment of Bishop Sarah to the Diocese of London, This is proof postive of a true desire within the Roman Catholic Church for fellowship in the Mission of OLJC. Next step for +Sarah – ++ABC?
Having just listened to the interview with Sarah Mullally on Radio 4’s Today programme, I am left in no doubt that we well and truly have a Welby clone for London. Not only could she not say whether gay relationships are sinful, she quickly took recourse to what ‘the Archbishops have asked for.’ The whole thing was embarrassing. Another uninspiring episcopal appointment – and I had such high hopes when we took the momentous decision to ordain women to the episcopate. Lucy Winkett, where are you when we need you?
Up here in the Yorkshire Dales, as we look forward to the arrival of Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley, we know who’s got the better deal. Why didn’t the CNC put Nick Baines in charge of this appointment? As we know, up here in the Diocese of Leeds, he has the Midas Touch when it comes to senior appointments.
Sadly, Eric, I have to agree with you entirely. It was embarrassing. +Sarah spoke fluently enough, but without saying anything bar some platitudes and, to the obvious frustration of her interviewer, without any attempt to answer the questions.
I agree Bishop Sarah’s performance this morning was evasive. But be reasonable: whatever her views after reflection may turn out to be, she wasn’t going to rock the boat, on Radio 4, the day after her appointment was announced. She will need to plan carefully how she goes about things.
I suggest it’s easy for men simply not to be aware what it feels like to be, as a woman, working in a male-dominated occupation. I’m sure Bishop Sarah is up to doing the job, but it makes sense for her to avoid a controversial start.
Thank you, Flora, for pointing out another way of looking at the matter, and I concede that I may have been unreasonable in my criticism. But, given the difficulties which you point out in facing up to such an interview, would it not be better to decline such requests, and say that, in the period leading up to her installation, she would be listening, praying and reflecting but not making statements about policy or belief? Because, unreasonable though the criticism may be, what happened this morning did no favours to anyone, and especially not to the cause of women’s threefold… Read more »
The appointment is controversial already–not that I think it ought to be, in any way, but facts are facts.
That being the case, for better or for worse, I think the new Bishop would be well advised to proceed one controversy at a time.
This likely means that leadership on equal marriage will have to come from elsewhere.
Thankyou, Malcolm, for your comment. While I am as eager as anybody to see the church move forward on LGBTI issues, I do think it was appropriate for Bishop Sarah to appear on Today just to introduce herself, bearing in mind that she now has a prominent position in a church while contains elements unfriendly to women’s ministry. It would have been wonderful if she had been able to say something progressive, but as Jeremy says it’s probably best to deal with one controversy at a time. It’s true that so far our women bishops have been disappointingly ‘safe’, but… Read more »
interesting that this was not included among the links to the reactions to the appointment of the Bishop of London https://www.christiantoday.com/article/sarah-mullally-like-justin-welby-is-no-theologian-the-cofe-is-losing-its-nerve/121812.htm
The point about theological competency and episcopacy is significant, I feel.
Given my disappointment at Nick Holtam’s equivocation on gay rights, I see no reason to hold the new Bishop of London to a lower standard. Yes, evasion’s “reasonable” from an amoral PR perspective — just like sitting on the fence about equal ordination and consecration. To see a person who’s directly benefited from a campaign for justice refuse to campaign for others is, well, less than prophetic witness.
I agree with James. There should be no equivocation. If priests are forced to live celibate lives if they are gay, that presupposes the bishops are upholding the view that gay sex is a sin – otherwise why force gay priests to be celibate? There should be no evasion because people’s lives are impacted by the status quo. Either a bishop believes gay sex is a sin or they don’t. They should say so, they should not be political. Justin has refused to answer the ‘Tim Farron’ question. So have almost all the bishops. To be fair, Sarah (and I… Read more »
So she ‘reaches out’ to conservatives. Wouldn’t it be nice if she and others reached out to the rest of us?
@Richard Ashby – Well, you know, the task of the Church is to reach out to those who’ve been comfortable and privileged and are now, in no substantive way, threatened by change (but can’t stand to see someone else *equal* to them) so that they continue to say nice things and stroke episcopal egos and give money and peerages, etc. The rest? Well, those are *outsiders* – they can’t give you anything, or do anything for you. Where’s the profit in that? After all, what does it profit a man to gain a soul, if he lose the whole world?
The Bishop designate of London ‘reaches out’. Is there any more vomit-inducing churchy jargon than this? Oh possibly – ‘seek to’. But ‘reaches out’ wins the prize, just. It implies that the reacher has somethig that the reached-to earnestly desire. There is no evidence that that is the case. It is patronising, sanctimonious and condescending. Like ‘seek to’ it puts me in mind of those who are so full of themselves that they forget to listen and observe. Please let’s ditch these phrases.
Also very good to see the message and photo from @bishopoffulham: “A great welcome to Bishop Sarah. Looking forward to our partnership in The Gospel”. I think such a partnership would be a great blessing for the diocese.
‘Reach out’ was the Four Tops greatest hit in my view. I like the thought of +S humming that as she tours her new diocese. But so close to Christmas I don’t seek to jeopardise Stanley Monkhouse’s health by commenting any further.
Mr Runcorn, how kind. In fact, you would not be endangering my health but rather energising me. A very happy Advent 4 to everyone on TA.