The new Archbishop of Canterbury

Giles Coren can’t help but “cringe” when he sees the Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally, who has been confirmed today, “go on and on” about “the love that we find in Jesus Christ” despite going to church himself. Personally, I must say that I agree with him and the description of his fears here are really what I fear too. The evangelical Anglicans have now clearly a champion whilst the catholic Anglicans will be staying wanting for her whole tenure because she looks and sounds very much as someone who does the talk only

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peterlee · M

Sarah is the most accessible of the Archbishops I’ve met. Coggan the most humble and Ramsey the most aloof. Runcie , matter of fact.

As for the different strands of the Church of England, you can pick and mix. The quaint beautiful language of 1662, in one place, incense and modern English, with a lot of walking about, at another. Along the seafront Nicky Gumble’s lot will entertain you with a band, baptise you in the sea, and recommend a Holy Spirit weekend at £15 a time. Does it really matter, they are all part of the Body of Christ. We all rely on God’s Grace.

FreddieUK · 70-79, M

@peterlee Well put. I just hope you can all stay together: many other traditional denominations are struggling.

val70 · 56-60

@peterlee The difference between a fear and a certainty is still there. Personally, I still fear that we'll be looked down to with this liberal evangelism of hers pushing everyone else out of the boat. When St Paul had his shipwreck on the way to Rome he didn't persuade the Roman centurion with his zeal but his humility. It's the spreading of the Christian Gospel that it should be about and not this goodness et al. Lowering down theology for the unbelievers isn't the way to go. Have had plenty of bad experiences with that. Speak about the Book of Common Prayer and nowadays even priests think that one means the Book of Common Worship

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FreddieUK · 70-79, M

@peterlee Very interesting summary. The old High/Low distinction is now more complex and add in attitudes to women in leadership and homosexuality and it becomes clear that the fissures that could split things apart are very threatening. They have already driven the GAFCON community away. https://gafcon.org/about/

val70 · 56-60

@peterlee Right, all about the form again and not about the substance. I'm not saying that she'll fail but there are indeed already voices going up that she's putting the emphasis wrongly. Either it's by clergy outside the mainstream of the Church of England already or inside. There's a fear that can't be ignored, nor can it be labled masogyny because I know plenty of women who don't agree with this stance of hers at all. It would be a very poor start if she keeps on labling all criticism as that. Alright, Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally says on her first day she will speak out on misogyny. Nah, bridges won't be mended with her. That's already for certain