After nearly a year of searching, the Church of England is finally about to announce its new leader. On Friday, the next Archbishop of Canterbury will be revealed—a decision that carries weight

not just in Britain, but across the 85-million-strong Anglican Communion worldwide.

The new archbishop will inherit a church still reeling from scandal. Justin Welby, who stepped down last year, resigned after it emerged that he hadn’t immediately alerted police about abuse allegations involving a church volunteer. For many, the biggest challenge now is restoring trust after years of mishandled abuse cases.

But the job won’t stop there. The incoming leader will also have to navigate deep divisions within the church on issues of gender, sexuality, and the role of women in leadership. “Declining attendance, bloated structures, clergy arguments about sex—these are all problems,” said Andrew Graystone, a survivors’ advocate. “But trust is the real mountain to climb.”

Unlike the Catholic Church, there’s no white smoke moment. Instead, the Archbishop of Canterbury is chosen through months of behind-the-scenes discussions, with the final decision signed off by King Charles III.

This year, two women are among the frontrunners—something that would mark a huge milestone for a church that only ordained its first female priests in 1994. One is Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani of Chelmsford, who came to the UK as a refugee after her family fled Iran in 1980. The other is Bishop Rachel Treweek of Gloucester, the first woman ever to sit in the House of Lords as a bishop.

Also in the mix is Bishop Michael Beasley of Bath and Wells, a former epidemiologist who played a key role in guiding the church through the pandemic.

Whoever gets the job, they’ll be stepping into one of the most difficult moments in the church’s modern history—with the task of healing wounds at home and keeping the global Anglican family together. Photo by Rafa Esteve, Wikimedia commons.