Time for a new letter, by Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi

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In honour of Dame Sarah Mullaley, Archbishop of Canterbury

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Dear St Paul

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It has been thousands of years since you wrote a series of letters

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To many churches and persons

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Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Phillipians and more

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You also wrote epistles to Timothy, Titus and Philemon

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The letters have helped shape Christian faith

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They have provided inspiration, hope, and direction.

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It is however time for you to send another letter

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There are many nations and churches you could write to at this point in our history

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Too many to list

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But I would like you to consider writing a letter to theChurch of England

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Remember there was this selfish, randy, stubborn King of England

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Henry V111

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In 1534, he wanted to annul his marriage to his Catholic Queen

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Catherine of Aragon

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So that he could marry Anne Boleyn and get a male heir

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He was one of many men before and after him

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who try to play God, but I digress

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Pope Clement V11 said No

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So,King Henry simply set up his own church, with his own Archbishop and the rest

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You probably should have sent a letter then

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God Almighty does indeed work in mysterious ways

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Inspite of the origins of this new Church

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It has called millions of souls to the ways of the Lord

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Including mine

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The teachings of the new church are not totally different from the old one

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This means your copious letters have continued to be relevant

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There is however a problem

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In Timothy 2: 12, you wrote, ‘I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, rather, she is to remain quiet’

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Then you wrote, in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35: ‘Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission – if they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home’

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Over millennia, men have taken it upon themselves to interpret your letters to suit their own agendas

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They have clung to these words and used them to justify the silencing and exclusion of women from leadership in the home, society and church

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Yet, you also wrote in Galatians 3:28, ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female’

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Even though you sounded rather harsh in your thoughts on women

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You did not ignore the role women were playing in the emerging church during your time

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You acknowledged Phoebe, Priscilla, Junia, Euodia and Syntyche

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It is time for you to write another letter

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In these times, in the year of our Lord 2026

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Women are no longer silent

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Women now teach the word of God

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Women now have authority

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Dame Sarah Mulalley

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Has just been installed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury

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Primate of the Church of England

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Ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion

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Many men within the church and beyond are unhappy

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They keep pointing to your letters

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Many of us are happy

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We remind them of what Jesus Christ our saviour thought of women’s leadership

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He would have been thrilled to have Dame Sally with him

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They keep telling us women were never disciples

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Jesus only recognised men as leaders

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Yet, we know this is not true

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Women followed Jesus wherever he went

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They were drawn to his teachings about kindness, dignity,forgiveness and love

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Mary of Nazareth, mother of Jesus

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Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James and Joseph

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Salome, Martha, Mary of Bethany, Joanna, Susanna and more

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They travelled, cooked, hosted, nursed and mobilised

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Some of them used their own resources for the Ministry

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Their faith was strong and they were brave and loyal

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Their names and deeds have endured

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Even when attempts have been made to downplay their roles

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They were the first to see Jesus when he resurrected

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The disciples were nowhere to be found

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Dear St Paul

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It is time for another letter

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A message in solidarity with our first female Archbishop of Canterbury

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Pope Leo X1V has written to congratulate the new Archbishop

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Expressing a commitment to ‘Christian unity and Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue’

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Even the Pope knows the world will not come to an end with a female Archbishop of Canterbury

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Women have always led

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Women will always lead

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In homes, farms, boardrooms, battlefields, workplaces of all callings

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Women have led and will keep leading

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The house of God is safe in the hands of women

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Those who know what suffering and oppression means

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understand the value of salvation, compassion and empathy

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It is time for a new letter

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One that speaks of hope, joy and renewed faith

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Long live, Dame Sarah Mulalley

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Archbishop of Canterbury

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Primate of the Church of England

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Ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion

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•Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Gender Specialist, Leadership Coach, Policy Advocate and Writer. She is the Founder of Abovewhispers.com, an online community for women. She can be reached at [email protected]

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