Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury to be replaced by a woman or person of colour? Here's what's next…

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury's resignation amid a sex abuse scandal has led to widespread speculations about who would be the next archbishop — the spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide. 

Reportedly, many people within the Church and beyond, have been hoping that the next leader could be a woman, or a person of colour, or someone who is in favour of LGBT+ rights.

Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, is expected to temporarily assume the top position in the Church of England until a new Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed, a process that will take several months.

Who might be the next Archbishop of Canterbury?

The list of contenders for Justin Welby's post shows that some of the bishops favour LGBT+ rights, while some have a deep commitment to environmental issues, and poverty. Here's a look:

Martyn Snow

Aged 56 years, Snow is known to be one of the top contenders for the role, and has served as the Bishop of Leicester since 2016. He has a deep commitment to addressing poverty issues and currently chairs the College of Archbishops’ Evangelists, an initiative focused on developing the ministry of evangelists across the Church of England.

Guli Francis-Dehqani

Francis-Dehqani’s father was the Anglican bishop of Iran, but the family was forced to flee the country during the 1980 revolution. She was appointed Bishop of Chelmsford in 2021 and also took a seat in the House of Lords. Known for her focus on Christian service rather than a managerial approach, Dehqani is widely respected for her commitment to inclusivity, including support for LGBT+ rights within the Church.

Graham Usher

Usher is known for his strong commitment to environmental causes, serving as the lead bishop on environmental issues, and he voted in favour of services to bless same-sex couples. Originally from Ghana, he became Bishop of Norwich in 2017 and took a seat in the House of Lords in 2023.

Rachel Treweek

Treweek made history in 2015 as the first woman to be appointed a diocesan (senior) bishop and the first female bishop to sit in the House of Lords. Aged 61 years, Treweek has spoken out about her belief that God is neither male nor female. She has also criticised the Church of England's lack of diversity, and campaigned against negative body image among girls and young women, reported The Guardian.