The shattering of any glass ceiling sets off a sparkly fireworks display for those who have waited years—sometimes a lifetime—for history to be made. That’s what happened for many of us in the Anglican Communion, including me, when Sarah Mullally was appointed the first female archbishop of Canterbury by Church of England leaders and government officials.
I’m a theologian who studies trauma; I’m also an Episcopal priest. I’ve been a faithful member of the Episcopal Church since I was a toddler. I remember when the diocese I grew up in first ordained women, and I saw the challenges they faced, the objections against both what they were doing and who they claimed to be. These women were a significant reason I could give voice to the call that already existed within me. So yes, I’m one of the many who popped a virtual champagne bottle when news of Sarah Mullally’s appointment broke. It was indeed a historic moment.
But it’s also a fraught one, because when glass ceilings shatter, the shards can cut and make us bleed.
