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My social media feeds continue to buzz around the appointment of Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday — the very first woman to hold the post. Dame Sarah steps into this role at both a challenging and exciting moment for the Church. While it faces issues around safeguarding and theological divisions, there is also renewed interest in the church from Generation Z in what is being called the Quiet Revival. She takes on the role at a time of heightened tensions in our nation, with faith sometimes being coopted to incite fear, sometimes blamed for division, violence or exclusion. This week we have also sadly seen religious hatred at its worst with the tragic attack on the Manchester synagogue. The new Archbishop will have to navigate all of this and more. As a spiritual leader she will be expected to provide guidance and example in all matters of faith and integrity. As the head of the Church of England, she will oversee its clergy and institutions through the complexities of a rapidly changing society. Her role also reaches beyond the church, as a national voice on social and ethical issues. And as a global leader she will seek to unite and bless the 85 million Christians in the 165 countries of the Anglican Communion during a time, in her words yesterday, of “profound global uncertainty” This is no easy task. Rowan Williams summarised the role as requiring ‘a newspaper in one hand and a bible in the other’ saying “You’ve got to learn neither to simply keep your head down nor to become a rent-a-quote.” Knowing when and how to speak up effectively is always a challenge. I think about John the Baptist who was beheaded for his commitment to speaking truth to power, or Daniel who was thrown into a lion enclosure because he refused to stop practicing his faith in public, or Esther, who risked her life not only to call out the racial hatred against the Jewish community in her time but to also prevent a genocide. These biblical role-models are not just there to inspire the most senior of our church leaders but for all of us. Their stories are included in the Bible because they have deep significance for every generation. We don’t need a lectern in Lambeth Palace or a Cathedral in Canterbury or a seat in the House of Lords to speak up for truth, justice and compassion, to challenge racism or to practice kindness. We all have a voice, and opportunities to use it for good. I congratulate Dame Sarah on her appointment. She has an important path to forge. But so do we all. May God give each of us the strength, wisdom, courage and compassion we need today.