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The 63-year-old former NHS chief nurse has been selected as the incoming spiritual leader of the Church of England - creating a milestone as the initial female to be chosen for this significant position.

A former NHS chief nurse, the sixty-three-year-old entered the priesthood in 2006 and was appointed as the initial woman to serve as Bishop of London in 2018 - the third most senior member of clergy in the Church of England.

This represents the initial occasion in nearly 500 years of history that the Church has chosen a woman to assume its leadership.

Groundbreaking Appointment

The Anglican Church has been lacking an individual in the senior role for almost a year after the previous Archbishop stepped down over a safeguarding scandal.

He departed following a critical investigation into a prolific child abuser associated with the Church. The report found that he "could and should" have reported John Smyth's abuse of boys and young men to police in 2013.

The Archbishop of York took on most of the former Archbishop's responsibilities in an interim move, and was one of the voting members of the committee charged with choosing his successor.

Official Process

In line with tradition, the procedure of selecting a spiritual leader involves a candidate being given to the Prime Minister and then passed to the monarch.

The Prime Minister has welcomed Dame Sarah's appointment, stating: "The Archbishop of Canterbury will serve an important function in our national life. I wish her every success and look forward to collaborating."

While, technically, the King is head of the Anglican Church, the person occupying the position of Archbishop of Canterbury is the highest-ranking cleric and is the religious guide of the religious institution and the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Monarchical and International Reaction

King Charles III has congratulated the new Archbishop on her appointment, "which is of such importance in the United Kingdom and across the global Anglican Communion", the royal household announced.

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, which advocates for traditional positions, has questioned the selection, stating that although some will welcome it, "the majority of the global church still believes that the scriptures requires a male-only episcopacy."

Handover Process

She will not formally assume her position until a confirmation of election in January, and an installation ceremony comes later, after they have pledged allegiance to the monarch.

In a statement on Friday after her new role was finalized, she said: "I recognize this is a significant undertaking but I undertake it with a feeling of calm and trust in God to carry me as He always has."

Speaking from Canterbury Cathedral, she said that "during a period that seeks absolute answers and group identity, the Anglican tradition offers something quieter but more resilient."

Responding to Attack

Talking about the "terrible attack" of the previous day's incident on a synagogue in the northern city, she said "we observe prejudice that rises up through fractures across our society."

She added: "The religious community have a responsibility to be a group who stand with the Jewish community against prejudice against Jews in every manifestation. Prejudice and discrimination of any kind cannot be permitted to divide our society."

Background and Career

A mother of two, she spent over 35 years in the NHS, becoming the youngest-ever chief nursing officer for the country in 1999.

Although she was volunteering in the Church at the period, it was just a few years later that she decided to become a priest and was quickly tasked with helping make reforms in the way the organization addressed misconduct.

In 2012 she became canon treasurer at the historic church before becoming diocesan leader in the diocese of Exeter in 2015.

As London's religious leader she was regarded as someone who used her experience as an NHS administrator to help update the church district.

Guiding Principles

"People frequently inquire what it has been like to have had different professional paths, first in the NHS and now in the religious institution.

"I prefer to think that I have consistently maintained a single calling: to follow Jesus Christ, to understand his teachings and to share his message, always seeking to live with compassion in the assistance to people, whether as a healthcare professional, a religious leader, or a church official."

Future Challenges

Perhaps the pressing issue in her in-tray is still to develop improved approaches towards dealing with misconduct and treating with more compassion those impacted by such incidents.

There has also been a reduction in religious participation, though London has to a degree bucked that trend.

One of the areas she has been particularly vocal on is end-of-life choices - she is a strong critic, as was her predecessor.

When the law was passed in the Commons, she characterized it as "unworkable and unsafe and creates danger to the most at-risk individuals in our society."

Progressive Stances

One of her roles as Bishop of London was to lead a committee trying to guide the religious institution's determination on whether to bless same-sex marriages.

She characterized the decision to ultimately permit clergy to sanction gay relationships in last year as "a moment of hope for the Church."

A former Archbishop, summarised her position as necessitating a "newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other."

The former spiritual leader told journalists "the expectation of having an position on all matters is significantly demanding."