Keith Griffin hopes Sarah Mullally can settle the church's tangles over gender, sexuality and race, while Andrew Groves calls out misogyny. Plus letters by Mark Ynys-Mon, Rev Dr Nicholas Bradbury and Julian Sharpe.
The Rev Martine Oborne (The next archbishop of Canterbury has no time to waste in making change - this is what she will be up against, 5 October) points out that the Church of England is allowed to teach that men should have authority over women. The provision of alternative leadership for churches that hold to this view is a bit like having a football team where players are not only permitted to disagree with the manager's preferred system, but can also expect a second manager to be appointed to meet their needs.
For those frustrated by the six months we have to wait for Sarah Mullally to start work as the next archbishop of Canterbury, might it be worthwhile for the Church of England to use the time to move beyond its endless tangles over matters involving gender, sexuality and race, and consider what it really wants to offer?
Children are growing up in a world with the exciting reality of greater connectivity and astonishing advances in artificial intelligence, so need a dynamic, inspirational and intelligent Christianity that speaks into this. May the new archbishop be granted all the wisdom, skill and grace to make this happen.
Keith Griffin
Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
The Rev Martine Oborne is right when she says we rejoice in the appointment of Sarah Mullally as the new archbishop of Canterbury. All decent, reasonable and intelligent people would agree, whatever their religious beliefs or none. It is clear what she is up against. So let's say it loud and clear. It's called misogyny!
Those churches in London that passed resolutions to limit women being vicars and who are opposed to women administering bread and wine are misogynistic. The seven serving bishops who say they welcome Mullally as their new archbishop but wouldn't receive communion from her are hypocrites and, again, misogynistic. And highly insulting.
The Church of England, including Sarah Mullally, cannot have it both ways. Either women are seen as equal to men or they are not. And if they can't accept the ministry of women they should leave and let the church get on with the business of the Christian ministry.
Andrew Groves
Eype, Dorset
The piece by the Rev Martine Oborne has quote marks around the word "enthroned", as if it was some weird relic word. Archbishops of Canterbury are indeed enthroned there, no fewer than three times: in the choir, the chapter house and on the chair of Saint Augustine.
Mark Ynys-Mon
Glasgow
A Hindu philosopher once said to me: "You Christians make extraordinary claims about God, yet you live such ordinary lives. In India, our saints radiate God through their very being."
Your leader on the new archbishop of Canterbury (The Guardian view on the first female archbishop of Canterbury: a choice that offers renewal and hope, 5 October) is spot-on in every point, but misses the most salient: the visible manifestation of a life rooted in prayer. To impact a secular world where the rumour of God is so diminished, an archbishop must incarnate their spiritual transformation above every policy or practical initiative.
Rev Dr Nicholas Bradbury
Oxford
It seems to be obligatory to use the phrase "declining congregations" in every Guardian article on the Church of England. Please remember that there are at least 700,000 people at Anglican churches in England every week. This is similar to the 800,000 or so people who attend a professional football match in England every week.
Julian Sharpe
London