The Church of England is likely to name its next Archbishop of Canterbury on Friday, with two women among the frontrunners for the top post, which also serves as the spiritual head of 85 million Anglicans across the globe.

The 106th Archbishop will replace Justin Welby, who resigned last November over a child abuse coverup scandal, and will inherit an institution that has long grappled with theological schisms over the approach to gay Christian couples and the role of women in the church.

According to the bookmakers, the CoE could get its first woman Archbishop of Canterbury, a decade after it began consecrating women as bishops.

Conservative Anglicans Oppose Women Bishops

Leading contenders include Bishop Rachel Treweek, the CoE’s first-ever female diocesan bishop, and Iranian-born

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