As we gather with loved ones to share a Christmas meal, let us pray. 🙏
The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, leads us in a Christmas Grace. ⭐ pic.twitter.com/aofemTHlKk
— The Church of England (@churchofengland) December 25, 2022
The Church of England, the Anglican Church, installed a new Archbishop of Canterbury:
Sarah Mullally confirmed as archbishop of Canterbury, first woman to lead the Church of England
January 28, 2028
LONDON (AP) — Sarah Mullally was confirmed as archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England.
The worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes the Episcopal Church in the U.S., has no formal head, but the archbishop traditionally has been seen as its spiritual leader.
Mullally, 63, a cancer nurse turned cleric, officially took up the responsibilities of her new job as judges presided over a legal ceremony confirming her appointment, which was announced almost four months ago.
The so-called Confirmation of Election service marks a major milestone for the Church of England, which ordained its first female priests in 1994 and its first female bishop in 2015. The church traces its roots to the 16th century when the English church broke away from the Roman Catholic Church during the reign of King Henry VIII. https://apnews.com/article/sarah-mullally-archbishop-canterbury-anglican-church-women-3c20d119342265859835f4cbc45a2d55
Views
Mullally is a self-described feminist … According to the Financial Times, Mullally “is seen as a theological liberal.” …
In 2022, Mullally supported the observance of LGBT+ History Month and the launch of an Advisory Group aimed at advising the diocese on “pastoral care and inclusion of LGBT+ people in the life of our church communities”.[41]
Mullally has described her views on abortion as favouring abortion rights (Sarah Mullally. Wikipedia, accessed 10/03/25)
Well, of course she would be categorized as a “liberal’ theologically, as biblically females are not to be ordained nor are they to preach nor should women kill their unborn babies. Those currently called liberals do NOT believe the Bible and do NOT believe anyone should.
As far as being “liberal” goes, notice a prophecy related to the coming Kingdom of God from the Book of Isaiah:
5 The vile person shall be no more called liberal … (Isaiah 32:5, KJV)
Well, supporting the killing of unborn babies is vile, and while most of those called “liberals” now think that they are nice, they are not. They are vile. But in the coming Kingdom of God, that will not be the case.
As the tweet at the beginning of those post shows, Sarah Mullally also endorses non-biblical observances. The related video refers to her as Rt Rev, which is an abbreviation for the term “Right Reverend.”
The Anglicans, as well as many other Protestants, refer to their ministers with the title “The Reverend” or “Right Reverend.” or simply “Reverend.”
We in the CCOG do not.
According to the Bible, God’s name is reverend, “holy and reverend is his name” (Psalm 111:9, KJV). The Church of England used to use the KJV Bible, hence should know better.
Despite what the Bible says, the practice of calling Greco-Roman clergy “Reverend” seems to have begun in English-speaking lands in the 15th century, and was in habitual use by Protestants in the 17th century (Reverend. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Updated by Britannica editors January, 04, 2007). It is certainly not a biblical nor original Christian practice.
And the Bible, itself, teaches: “ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3, KJV)
That is not something that the Protestant Church of England does.
Furthermore, the white collar that the Anglican clergy wear did not come from the Bible. Though the modern reverse white collar was reported to have been invented in the 19th century, something similar was worn by Roman and Eastern Orthodox priests much earlier. Egyptian pagan priests wore some version of collars thousands of years ago (e.g. Jarus O. 2,300-Year-Old Cemetery with Mummy Priests Found in Egypt. LiveScience, February 26, 2018).
A collar was also associated with the sun-god Mithras:
Mithra wears the Phrygian cap … Rays of light emerge from Mithra’s head much like a halo. His choke collar is a serpent. (Cooper JD. Mithras: Mysteries and initiation rediscovered. Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1996).
The ministry in the CCOG does not wear the priestly collar like the Anglican and Roman Catholic clergy does. Distinctive clothing for the ministry was not employed by early Christians—they dressed the same as their congregants.
However, after influence from Emperor Constantine, the Greco-Roman clergy adopted versions of many of the clothing styles that sun-god priests and other members of his court had worn (including versions of the collar and Phrygian cap). Scholars admit that special clerical clothing came from pagans and was adopted because of Emperor Constantine (e.g. Newman, pp. 358-360)
While not all Protestant ministers adopted symbols of pagan dress, many like the Anglicans, including Sarah Mullally, have.
That said, notice also the following from last Fall when Sarah Mullally was announced to get her current position:
3 October 2025
While, technically, the King is head of the Church of England, the person holding the role of Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and is the spiritual leader of the Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.
King Charles III has congratulated Dame Sarah on her new role, “which is of such importance in the UK and across the global Anglican Communion”, Buckingham Palace said.
The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, which represents conservative views, has criticised the appointment, saying that although some will welcome it, “the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy”.
She does not legally take on her new role until a confirmation of election in January, and an enthronement service comes later, after they have paid homage to the King. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2lxyxqzxkdo
So, while King Charles III has endorsed her, “conservative” Anglicans have properly asserted that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy/bishopric.
Sadly, the fact is that the leadership of the Church of England does NOT believe in the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation of sola Scriptura.
The Church of England officially uses and endorses the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.
So does does that translation allow women to be able to preach sermons in church services?
No. The Apostle Paul wrote:
11 Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. 12 I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent. (1 Timothy 2:11-12, NSRV)
The early Christian church did not have women preaching in services. The Apostle Paul also wrote:
34 women should be silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35, NSRV)
So, no women are not supposed to be teachers in church services.
What about being bishops?
No, that is not authorized by scripture. The Apostle Paul wrote:
1 The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. 2 Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once {the actual Greek literally says “a husband/man of one wife”}, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money.4 He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way—5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. …11 Women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. (1 Timothy 3:1-7, 11)
We see that bishops are supposed to be MEN who had one WIFE and the term “he” is related to the bishop. Notice, also, after that the Apostle Paul mentions women. Women were NOT to be bishops.
Related to that, the Apostle Paul also wrote:
5 I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: 6 someone who is blameless, married only once {the actual Greek literally says “a husband/man of one wife”}, whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious.7 For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; 8 but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled.9 He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it. (Titus 1:5-9, NSRV)
Again, this is in reference to a MAN, hence the repeated pronoun “he.”
As far as Sarah Mullally’s promotion of LGBT+ month, consider the following:
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. …
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools; …
26 For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error. …
32 They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them. (Romans 1:18, 22, 26-27, 32, NRSV)
Endorsement of LGBT+ promoting events should never be done by those who claim to believe the Bible.
Furthermore, although the NRSV glosses over it, verse 32 is actually even tougher as the NKJV states:
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:32)
No Christian, no real Christian leader, should endorse LGBT+ events as even approval of such is clearly condemned in the Bible.
Now, where are churches supposed to get doctrines from?
The Bible.
Even the New Revised Standard Version teaches:
16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NSRV)
The Church of England has clearly, once again, refused to base its teachings on the word of God.
Of course, it is not just the Church of England that has these types of problems.
I have noticed that more and more Protestants seem to be having females preach. To me, at least, that seemed to be a gateway for various Protestant groups to have LGBTQ preachers. Disregarding scriptures on one matter often seems to lead to disregarding them for other matters. As far as Protestantism goes, it really does not believe Martin Luther’s sola Scriptura rallying cry–but, neither did Martin Luther (for documented details, see the free online book: Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism).
If people like Sarah Mullally believed even her church’s accepted translation of the Bible, she would never have become a Bishop, nor accepted the role of being the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Apostle Paul also wrote:
2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; (2 Timothy 4:32, NRVS)
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; (2 Timothy 4:2, KJV)
So-called Archbishop Sarah Mullally DOES NOT DO THAT!
Yet, ALL who claim Christianity, should believe and live by every word of God. As Jesus said:
4 … One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4, NRSV)
Since we in the Continuing Church of God strive to do so, we do not believe that women are to preach nor do we condone abortion, or sexual immorality.
Now, as far as ordinations go, scripture allows that woman can become deaconesses–so in our church we have some of those. Furthermore, for the work of the CCOG, some women edit, manage websites, manage Facebook pages, do translations, maintain our online radio presence, and host even groups where we have no males. They also sing, provide music, help put together items related to the Study the Bible Course, and do some writing. For more on roles for Christian women, check out the article: Women and the New Testament Church.
There are many roles for women, but being a preacher or bishop is not among them. They are biblically reserved for men.
All who claim to be Christian need to believe and obey the word of God.
Related to Sarah Mullally, we put out the following video:
Sarah Mullally Archbishop?
The Church of England, the Anglican Church, has announced a new Archbishop of Canterbury. And that Archbishop is Sarah Mullally. Is this appointment endorsed by the God of the Bible? How can you tell? Is there any difference between the required qualifications of an endorsement from God Almighty and leaders in the world, like Keir Starmer and King Charles III? Would the actions and beliefs of Ms. Mullally point to biblical Christianity or not? Are Ms. Mullally’s beliefs consistent with the revealed commands of the Most High God of the Bible? Do they even agree with the New Revised Standard Version, which is the Bible that the Church of England uses? What does it say about women, bishops, and preaching? What about the apparel of the Church of England and its American branch, the Episcopalians? Could their clothing actually point to the god of their faith? And what about the title “Right Reverend,” is that appropriate for a Christian leader? The answers to these questions are found in the pages of your Bible. Watch this video as Dr. Thiel uses the Bible to quote the verses that answer these tough questions. The answers may surprise you. In fact, the answers may surprise many of the Protestant faith. Nevertheless, they are the answers that God has written for our admonition.
Here is a link to our video: Sarah Mullally Archbishop?
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Women and the New Testament Church What roles did women play in the ministry of Jesus and the apostles? Did Jesus and the Apostle Paul violate Jewish traditions regarding their dealings with women? Do women have any biblical limitations on their role in the Church? Were there female prophets? Do women have any special responsibilities in terms of how they dress? What does the New Testament really teach about women? Here are links to two related sermons: Women’s Roles in the Church and New Testament Women.
True Womanhood: A Lost Cause? Is there still a place for being feminine? Here is an article from Herbert Armstrong about his thoughts relating to women and womanhood.
What was the Liturgy of the Early Church? Were early church services mainly scriptural, emotional, or sacramental? Who follows the basic original liturgy today? A related video is also available: What were early Christian church services like?
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
Veils and Other Head Coverings Do women need to wear veils or similar coverings while praying or attending church services? What does the Bible teach about hair length? What about going around bald? Here are some scriptures on that subject.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.