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Updated 25 December 2025 - The Church of England stands at a crossroads as Dame Sarah Mullally prepares to become its first female archbishop on 28 January, inheriting a institution grappling with unresolved debates over sexuality, abuse scandals, and global fractures.
A quiet rebellion in Guildford
At Holy Trinity Church, a red-brick landmark on Guildford's historic High Street, a traditional pre-Christmas Nativity play by local schoolchildren belies the tensions simmering within the Church of England. The 14th-century site, home to an archbishop's tomb from the Stuart era, has become a flashpoint in the denomination's long-running dispute over same-sex relationships.
Rector Simon Butler has begun conducting stand-alone blessings for same-sex couples, defying current Church rules that permit such rites only as minor additions to regular services. "This isn't about provocation," Butler said. "It's about responding to couples who seek spiritual recognition of their commitment."
A decades-old debate reignites
The Church's internal conflict over sexuality dates back to the 1957 Wolfenden Report, which recommended decriminalizing homosexuality while framing it as morally objectionable. Archbishops of the era supported legal reform but condemned same-sex relationships on theological grounds. In 2023, the Church's General Synod appeared to break the deadlock by approving trial blessings for same-sex couples, with backing from then-Archbishop Justin Welby and his successor, Dame Sarah Mullally.
Yet in October 2025, bishops abruptly reversed course, requiring a two-thirds Synod majority for stand-alone blessing trials. Critics called the move a "handbrake turn," while conservative theologian Ian Paul defended it as necessary to prevent schism. "This debate harms our witness and demoralizes clergy," Paul argued. "We must draw a line."
Couples caught in the middle
At Holy Trinity, Ian and Paul (who asked to withhold their surnames) described their recent blessing as a deeply moving experience. "The covenants we made-to care for each other in sickness-felt sacred," Ian said. Paul, raised in an Anglican family, added, "We're not asking the Church to change its doctrine. We're asking it to recognize love."
Butler warned that the bishops' decision may backfire, pushing advocates toward the more contentious goal of same-sex marriage in churches. "Why settle for 'thin gruel' when the full-fat option is within reach?" he asked.
A fractured global communion
Mullally's appointment as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury has been celebrated in England but met with resistance abroad. In Nigeria, where Anglicanism is growing rapidly, priests have questioned her leadership, while the conservative Gafcon movement-formed in 2008 after the U.S. consecrated a gay bishop-has declared her support for same-sex blessings a "red line."
"We want nothing to do with the Canterbury structure. It has failed to uphold biblical Anglicanism."
Bishop Paul Donison, Gafcon General Secretary
Justin Welby spent years trying to preserve Anglican unity, but his successor inherits a communion already splintered. "This is a profound breaking point," Donison said.
Abuse scandals and lost trust
The Church's handling of abuse allegations has further eroded confidence. A 2024 report into the crimes of John Smyth-a lawyer who ran Christian camps-found systemic failures, with Welby resigning amid accusations he mishandled disclosures. While the Church has since introduced safeguarding reforms, critics say progress is too slow.
"Parishes do safeguarding well. But for survivors, nothing has changed."
Andrew Graystone, author of Bleeding for Jesus
In February 2025, the General Synod rejected a proposal to transfer abuse cases to an independent body, opting instead for partial oversight. The Charity Commission recently criticized the Church's "insufficient urgency," imposing its own timeline for reforms.
Hope amid the turmoil
Despite the challenges, Mullally has signaled a desire to "roll up her sleeves" and bridge divides. Yet with Synod elections looming and sexuality dominating the agenda, her task appears daunting. For some, like the couple blessed in Guildford, the Church's flaws are outweighed by its enduring significance.
"It's part of our country's fabric. We must cherish it."
Paul, churchgoer
