Church in Wales could elect UK’s first female and first out gay archbishop

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Cherry Vann, the Bishop of Monmouth, is in the running to be elected the Church in Wales’ first lesbian archbishop.

Following the retirement of John Davies, the election for a new archbishop of Wales has made history on multiple counts.

As well as there being a lesbian in the running, half of the six candidates are women. Vann would also be the first archbishop in a same-sex civil partnership. 

This comes less than five years after the election of the Church’s first female bishop, Joanna Penberthy. If a woman is elected, it would also make Wales the first country in the UK to vote a woman into the highest position.

At the time of her election as bishop of Monmouth, Vann said she hoped that LGBT+ people would take her appointment as a sign of hope. However, she has also denied that she will use her position within the Church to campaign for same-sex marriage.

Since October 2021, the Church in Wales has allowed for blessings for same-sex marriages.

The decision not to extend the move to full marriage equality itself has not come without criticism, with many arguing that the Church must go further.

Same-sex marriage continues to be a point of contention throughout denominations in the UK. The Church of England continues to deny blessings to same-sex marriages, as well as refusing to carry out those marriages themselves, insisting that gay and lesbian members of the clergy remain celibate. 

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However, the Scottish Episcopal Church has allowed for same-sex marriage since 2017. Similarly, the Methodist Church overwhelmingly supported a proposal to allow same-sex marriage this June. Other denominations in the UK that allow same-sex marriages include the Quakers in Britain and the United Reformed Church.

The Church in Wales’ new archbishop will be chosen from Monday (7 December) with the 42-member Electoral College given up to three days to make its choice. If a decision is not reached within this time, it passes to the Bench of Bishops.