The announcement of the imminent retirement of Dr John Sentamu has already excited speculation that the Church of England is about to get its first female archbishop. This blog believes that such an appointment would be, for a forward-looking church, a missed opportunity.

In the Gadarene rush for relevance and contemporaneity, the time has surely come for the installation of a transgendered primate. It will be argued that the pool of candidates is presently rather small. But no matter. Recent preferments have demonstrated that experience and ability are not relevant criteria.

What matters is the prophetic witness.

A transgendered archbishop would be a potent sign that the CofE is the Church of NOW.