Bishop Goli Dehghani is one step closer to succeeding Justin Welby

Bishop Gally Francis Dehghani is one step closer to succeeding Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Iranian-born Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Frances Dehghani, is one of the leading candidates to succeed Justin Welby as head of the Church of England. Her election as Archbishop of Canterbury would make her the first woman to hold the position in the 1,428-year history of the office.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the highest spiritual position in the Church of England, and no woman has ever held this position in the past 1,500 years. Now, after the resignation of Justin Welby in January of this year, Goli Dehghani, the Iranian-born Bishop of Chelmsford, has emerged as a leading candidate for the position. Her election as Archbishop of Canterbury not only breaks historical records, but also represents very profound changes in the religious and social structure of Britain.

Glee Francis has served as a priest in the Diocese of Peterborough since 2011 and was appointed as the first Bishop of Loughborough by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017, a significant step towards increasing ethnic diversity in the Church of England.

In 2021, he became the Bishop of Chelmsford, the second largest diocese in the Anglican Church, and also became the Bishop of Housing for the Church of England, a member of the House of Lords, and chairman of the Church Army. He is also a proponent of redefining the role of the church in modern society, with plans to connect the church with the new generation and local communities.

Bishop Goli Dehghani is also a critic of British immigration policies. His criticism of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's statements was also very outspoken. In response to Starmer's statements about Britain becoming an island of foreigners, he said: "Immigrants are not foreigners, but friends who participate in worship, service and community life."

Goli Dehghani, who entered the UK as a refugee, also has unique views on social and religious issues due to her background. She has repeatedly criticized the repression of Christians in Iran by the Revolutionary Guards in the British House of Lords and called for support for refugees, especially Christian citizens. She also condemned the recent executions by the Islamic Republic and called on the British government to support Iranians living in the UK.

Frances Dehghani was chosen as one of the main candidates for the position of Archbishop from among five other women after Justin Welby resigned over his failure to report sexual abuse in the church. Bookmakers Ladbrokes and Star Sports also said that Goli Dehghani was the frontrunner.

The election of the Archbishop of Canterbury will take place in the fall of this year (2025), and the election of Bishop Dehghani could have global implications, and her election as a woman of Iranian descent could also inspire minorities and women around the world.

The process for selecting the Archbishop of Canterbury involves the Royal Appointments Commission proposing two candidates to the Prime Minister, who, after consultation with church officials, will present the final name to King Charles III for approval, and the process will be completed in the autumn of 2025.

"The Church of England has changed and Goli has been a respected figure who has risen rapidly through the ranks of the church," said political betting analyst William Kedjani.

The world, especially Iranians around the world, is waiting for the promised day to see if the peasant flower that arrived from Isfahan to the Church of England will be chosen for this position and rewrite history.