This move, which comes after “two decades of prayer and labor since the first Jerusalem Conference in 2008”, signals a definitive break from institutions that, according to the letter, “have failed to guard the faith once delivered to the saints,” asserting that the future of Anglicanism will be secured by a return to the sole authority of the Word of God.

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) Primates’ Council had, in a public statement, declared a “reordering of the Anglican Communion” on October 16, 2025

Read the full letter below:

“The Future Has Arrived — The Reordering of the Anglican Communion

“Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” – Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV)

“Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

“On October 16, 2025—the day the Church commemorates the martyrdom of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley —my brother GAFCON Primates and I, gathered as the GAFCON Primates’ Council, released a declaration that will, I believe, mark a decisive moment in the life of the Anglican family.

“With sober joy we said together: “The future has arrived.”

“For almost twenty years we have prayed and labored toward this day. From Jerusalem to Kigali, from Sydney and soon, Abuja, we have sought one end—that the Word of God might again stand at the heart of Anglican fellowship. What began in 2008 as a plea for repentance has now become, by God’s grace, the reordering of the Anglican Communion itself.

“As a colleague wrote me yesterday, “This is not a revolution. It is a restoration.”

“Why We Spoke

“When we first gathered in Jerusalem in 2008, the generational leadership of that era called the Anglican Communion back to its biblical and apostolic foundations. Their hope was that those who had departed from the authority of Scripture would return.

“That call went largely unheeded.

“Over the years, the very institutions once charged with guarding the faith—Canterbury, Lambeth, the Anglican Consultative Council, and the Primates’ Meeting—have too often become agents of confusion rather than clarity.

“As we met and prayed together last week, we knew the time had come to act. We therefore declared what has long been true in conscience and conviction: the so-called “Instruments of Unity” have failed to guard the faith once delivered to the saints. They have failed us, and are indeed inadequate to renew us.

“Structures cannot bring revival. Bureaucracy cannot breathe life into dry bones. Only the Word of God and the Spirit of God can renew the Church. As Ezekiel learned in the valley of dry bones, reformation begins not with organization, but with proclamation: “Prophesy to the breath… and the breath came into them, and they lived” (Ezek. 37:9–10).

“The future of Anglicanism will not be secured by repairing broken machinery, but by returning to our first love and our final authority—the living Word of God. For our identity is not institutional; it is biblical. And our communion is not defined by geography or politics, but by shared submission to the Word of God.

“The Global Anglican Communion

“In our statement we affirmed that “the Holy Bible, translated, read, preached, taught, and obeyed in its plain and canonical sense,” is the one true foundation of our fellowship. This language reflects both the Jerusalem Declaration and Article VI of the Thirty-Nine Articles: “Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation.”

“We therefore recognized and named what already exists among us: a renewed fellowship of biblically faithful provinces that we call the Global Anglican Communion.

“This is not a new denomination. It is the historic Anglican family restored to its original pattern—autonomous provinces united by the gospel, by our Formularies, and by a shared commitment to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord.

“Together we will be governed by a Council of Primates, choosing from among ourselves a primus inter pares—a first among equals—to serve in collegial oversight. The bonds that unite us will be those of truth, prayer, and mission, not hierarchy or bureaucracy.

“A Word About Canterbury

“You may well note that our declaration made no mention of the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury. That silence was deliberate. To single out a person would have been to suggest that our identity still revolves around that See.

“This moment is not about personality or politics; it is about principle. By our silence we proclaimed a deeper truth: the See of Canterbury no longer defines who we are.

“The Challenges Before Us

“Though we rejoice, we are not naïve. The future will undoubtedly test our resolve. Every reforming movement begins with unity of purpose and soon encounters the trials of endurance.

“We will have to guard against the danger of fragmentation. We must remain centered not only on what we reject but on what we affirm—the gospel of grace, the authority of Scripture, the mission of Christ’s Church.

“We will have to guard against the danger of organizational drift. Having released one human center of authority, we must not replace it with another. Our Council must remain conciliar, not corporate—led by prayer and governed by the Spirit.

“We must guard against the danger of doctrinal narrowness. True Anglicanism is both catholic and reformed—biblical, creedal, liturgical, and sacramental. If we lose that breadth, we lose the beauty of our heritage.

“Perhaps, however, the greatest threat is triumphalism—mistaking fidelity for superiority. This movement began on its knees in Jerusalem; we must remain on our knees. The Global Anglican Communion must be marked by repentance and humility.

“The Hope of Renewal

“What we are witnessing is part of a larger work of the Holy Spirit. Across the world the Lord is renewing His Church—calling it back to its first love, its first mission, and its first authority. Institutions that once seemed unshakable are faltering, while new expressions of faithful witness are taking root.

“The world may see division; Providence sees pruning. What remains will bear fruit.

“A Call to Gratitude and Forgiveness

“For all who love the Church, this is a time for gratitude, not gloating. We give thanks that the Word of God endures. We give thanks that the gospel still saves. And we give thanks that the Anglican family, once adrift, has rediscovered her compass in Christ.

“Now we must live what we proclaim—grounded in the Word, alive in the Spirit, and sent into the world for the sake of the gospel. The future has indeed arrived.

“And by God’s mercy, it looks very much like the past—biblical, prayerful, global, and free.

“A Prayer for the Church

“Almighty and everlasting God, who by Thy Holy Spirit didst guide the apostles and hast promised to lead Thy Church into all truth: Keep, we pray, the Global Anglican Communion steadfast in faith, humble in spirit, bold in witness, and holy in life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with Thee and the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.”

The statement, issued by The Most Revd Dr Laurent Mbanda, Chairman of the Gafcon Primates’ Council and Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, coincided with the Commemoration of the martyrdom of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley. 

Archbishop Mbanda asserted that the future for faithful Anglicans, anticipated since the first GAFCON gathering in Jerusalem in 2008, has now “arrived.”

The GAFCON Primates’ resolution, framed as a fulfilment of their 2008 mandate to reform the Communion, immediately established the following eight-point structure for the newly declared body:

1.      We declare that the Anglican Communion will be reordered,with only one foundation of communion, namely the Holy Bible, “translated, read, preached, taught and obeyed in its plain and canonical sense, respectful of the church’s historic and consensual reading” (Jerusalem Declaration, Article II), which reflects Article VI of the 39 Articles of Religion.

2.      We reject the so-called Instruments of Communion,namely the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and the Primates Meeting, which have failed to uphold the doctrine and discipline of the Anglican Communion.

3.      We cannot continue to have communion with those who advocate the revisionist agenda, which has abandoned the inerrant word of God as the final authority and overturned Resolution I.10, of the 1998 Lambeth Conference.

4.      Therefore, Gafcon has re-ordered the Anglican Communion by restoring its original structure as a fellowship of autonomous provinces bound together by the Formularies of the Reformation, as reflected at the first Lambeth Conference in 1867, and we are now the Global Anglican Communion.

5.      Provinces of the Global Anglican Communion shall not participate in meetingscalled by the Archbishop of Canterbury, including the ACC, and shall not make any monetary contribution to the ACC, nor receive any monetary contribution from the ACC or its networks.

6.      Provinces, which have yet to do so, are encouraged to amend their constitution to remove any reference to being in communionwith the See of Canterbury and the Church of England.

7.      To be a member of the Global Anglican Communion, a province or a diocese must assent to the Jerusalem Declarationof 2008, the contemporary standard for Anglican identity.

8.      We shall form a Council of Primates of all member provinces to elect a Chairman, asprimus inter pares(‘first amongst equals’), to preside over the Council as it continues “to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

Archbishop Mbanda concluded the statement by affirming, “the reset of our beloved Communion is now uniquely in the hands of Gafcon, and we are ready to take the lead,” and insisted, “we have not left the Anglican Communion; we are the Anglican Communion.”

The  Global Anglican Communion will hold its G26 Bishops Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, from March 3 to 6, 2026, to “confer and celebrate” the new order. 

The statement calls for prayer that the new leadership will proceed “in prayerful submission to the Holy Spirit as we hear the voice of Jesus in his wondrous Scriptures, to the glory of God.”

The peace of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ be multiplied unto you all. This is a pastoral guidance for the Clergy and Laity of the Diocese of AMC Europe. 

On Friday October 3, 2025 it was announced that Dame Sarah Mullally, the current Bishop of London will be the 106thArchbishop of Canterbury. This announcement brought varied questions and responses from Anglicans around the world. The leadership of the orthodox Anglicans to which we belong, have responded with clarity and we wish to streamline them here for our guidance. 

GAFCON, which stands for the Global Anglican Future Conference, is a global movement of conservative, orthodox Anglicans. It was formed in 2008 in response to the departure from biblical authority within parts of the Anglican Communion, primarily concerning issues of sexual ethics and revisionism. 

What GAFCON Believes and Does 

GAFCON’s identity is built upon several key pillars1: 

· Biblical Authority: GAFCON believes that the Holy Scriptures are the supreme authority for doctrine and life, and are “God-breathed” and without error. GAFCON observes with disappointment that other parts of the Anglican Communion have elevated human reason and secular culture over this authority. 

· The Jerusalem Declaration 2008: This document serves as GAFCON’s contemporary standard of faith. It affirms the Bible, the ancient creeds, the Thirty-Nine Articles, and the Book of Common Prayer as foundational. It also explicitly upholds marriage as between one man and one woman which is in line with Lambeth Resolution I.10 

· A Global Family: GAFCON is a coalition of mostly Global South provinces (e.g. Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Church of Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda) and orthodox Anglicans in Western nations(Anglican Church in North America, Australia, Newzeland). It represents the majority of the world’s active Anglicans (about 85% of the global Anglican population). 

· Guardians and Missionaries: The movement aims to guard the traditional gospel from false teachings and to proclaim it globally. This includes planting new churches and providing oversight for conservatives who feel alienated from their liberal-leaning national churches. 

Why GAFCON Was Formed 

GAFCON was not created suddenly but emerged from a long-simmering crisis. In 1998 Lambeth Conference, Resolution I.102 passed and affirms in a summarised form that: 

i. Marriage is between a man and a woman 

1 https://gafcon.org/about/
2 https://www.anglicancommunion.org/resources/document-library/lambeth-conference/1998/section-i-called-to-full-humanity/section- i10-human-sexuality [See full text in the appendix]. 

ii. Homosexual practice is incompatible with Scripture.
iii. The Church must minister pastorally and sensitively to all regardless of sexual 

orientation.

· The Breaking Point (2003): Against the provisions of Lambeth Conference Resolution I.10, the Episcopal Church of the USA (ECUSA as it then was) but now The Episcopal Church (TEC), elected and consecrated Gene Robinson, an openly gay man in a same-sex relationship, as a bishop in The Episcopal Church (USA) in 2003 for the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. This came after a Canadian Diocese had authorized a liturgy to bless same-sex unions in 2002. 

· A Deeper Crisis of Authority: While homosexuality was the presenting issue, GAFCON leaders noted the real crisis was a fundamental rejection of biblical authority within parts of the Communion. GAFCON was clear that the “Instruments of Unity” (like the Archbishop of Canterbury) failed to discipline the offending provinces, making a united stand necessary. 

· An Alternative Gathering: When the Archbishop of Canterbury invited bishops from the very provinces that had caused the rupture to the 2008 Lambeth Conference, many conservative bishops chose to boycott it. Instead, they gathered in Jerusalem for the first GAFCON, creating a fellowship for orthodox Anglicans who believed the existing structures had compromised the faith. This Conference produced the Jerusalem Declaration 20083. 

GAFCON’s Lasting Impact 

From its beginning as a conference, GAFCON has grown into a permanent and powerful force that is reshaping global Anglicanism. 

· A Continuing Movement: GAFCON is now a continuing movement with a Primates’ Council that provides leadership. It has held subsequent global conferences in Nairobi (2013), Jerusalem (2018), and Kigali (2023). Some targeted conferences like G25 Plano, Texas (2025) and G26 Abuja (2026) which holds next year, all to advance its mission. 

· Creating New Structures: A major outcome has been the establishment of new Anglican provinces to provide a home for orthodox conservatives. The most significant of these are the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), formed in 2009 as an alternative to The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada; and The Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) formed in 2020 to which we belong as an alternative to the Canterbury led provinces. It has also facilitated the creation of similar structures in Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil. 

· Redefining Anglican Identity: GAFCON has boldly declared that Anglican identity is not dependent on recognition by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This challenges the centuries-old central role of Canterbury and shifts the centre of gravity of the Anglican Communion toward the theologically conservative Global South. 

What is the GSFA? 

The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) on the other hand is a worldwide fellowship of orthodox Anglican provinces and dioceses that upholds traditional, 

3 https://gafcon.org/about/the-jerusalem-statement/

conservative biblical teachings and doctrine within the Anglican Communion. Its origins trace back to about 25 provinces, and it has since developed a formal covenanted membership structure.4

The GSFA’s actions and identity are driven by several key objectives and a firm doctrinal stance: 

· Guarding Orthodox Faith: GSFA’s primary objective is to “guard the faith once delivered” and uphold the “historic Anglican doctrine and teachings”. GSFA believes in and pledges loyalty to the “plain teaching of holy scripture”. 

· A Commitment to Scripture: The GSFA’s foundational position is that the Holy Scriptures are the “supreme authority” for doctrine and life. GSFA oppose theological moves that accommodate secular culture over biblical authority. 

· Upholding Traditional Marriage: A central issue for the GSFA is the affirmation of the traditional Christian doctrine of marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman. They hold to Lambeth Resolution 1.10 as the official Anglican position on human sexuality. 

Role in the Anglican Communion 

The GSFA has become a significant force in global Anglicanism, representing a large portion of the Communion’s members. Its relationship with other Anglican institutions has been shaped by ongoing doctrinal conflicts. 

· A Stance Against Revisionism: The GSFA was a key voice together with GAFCON in opposing the Church of England’s February 2023 decision to introduce prayers of blessing for same-sex couples, viewing it as a departure from biblical authority and orthodox Anglican tradition. 

· Withdrawal from Canterbury’s Leadership: Following the Church of England’s actions, the GSFA stated it was “no longer able to recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury as the ‘first amongst equals’ leader of the global Communion”. GSFA believe the Church of England has compromised its leadership role by departing from the “historic faith”. 

· Offering an Alternative Structure: The GSFA offers a “framework of covenanted relationships” based on an explicit commitment to orthodox doctrine and mutual accountability. GSFA have established their own Primates Council and other structures, with the intention of a long-term reconfiguration of the global Anglican fellowship around confessional boundaries rather than historic ties to Canterbury. 

Both GAFCON and GSFA are working closely together to forge a common front in resetting the Anglican Communion as majority of them are members of each others. 

The appointment of Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury presents a profound challenge for orthodox Anglicans. The global conservative GAFCON movement has declared 

4 https://www.thegsfa.org/about-us 

it can no longer recognize the Archbishop of Canterbury as its leader, framing this as a moment to reset the Anglican Communion on its biblical foundations. 

The Official GAFCON and GSFA Position 

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) responded with a clear and sorrowful rejection of this appointment5. GAFCON’s position, articulated by Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council, is based on two primary objections: 

· Female Episcopacy: It states that “the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy,” making it impossible for a female Archbishop to serve as a focus of unity. 

· Failure to Guard the Faith: More critically, GAFCON notes with sadness Mullally’s promotion of “unbiblical and revisionist teachings” by supporting the blessing of same-sex relationships, which is a direct violation of her consecration vows and biblical authority. 

As a result, GAFCON has concluded that “the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury can no longer function as a credible leader of Anglicans,” and officially no longer recognize the Archbishop as an “Instrument of Communion.” GAFCON sees her appointment as a final confirmation that leadership for the orthodox global Anglican future now rests with GAFCON itself. 

· A “Missed Opportunity”: The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) also viewed the appointment as a “missed opportunity to reunite and reform the Anglican Communion” and confirmed they maintain their position of no longer recognizing the Archbishop of Canterbury as the leader of the global communion.6 

The Consequential Stance: Withdrawing Recognition 

As a result of these objections, orthodox bodies have been forced to take a definitive institutional stance. 

· No Longer an “Instrument of Communion”: GAFCON, referencing its 2023 Kigali Commitment, has stated it can “no longer recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury as an Instrument of Communion” or the ‘first among equals’ of global leaders. They argue the office has relinquished its authority to lead due to a sustained failure to guard the faith. 

A Way Forward for Orthodox Anglicans 

In response to this decisive break, orthodox leaders are not merely protesting but are actively building an alternative structural future. 

5 https://gafcon.org/communique-updates/canterbury-appointment-abandons-anglicans/
6 https://www.thegsfa.org/news/gsfa-statement-on-the-appointment-of-the-rt-revd-dame-sarah-mullally-bishop-of-london-as-the- archbishop-of-canterbury 

· Leadership Transfer: GAFCON has declared that the “leadership of the Anglican Communion will pass to those who uphold the truth of the gospel”. They see this moment as a confirmation that the “reset” of the Communion is now uniquely in their hands. 

Potential Paths for Response 

For individual orthodox Anglicans and parishes, this development may lead to several possible courses of action, informed by GAFCON’s stance and the broader context. 

· Align with Alternative Global Structures: GAFCON has announced a significant gathering, the G26 Bishops Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria, in March 2026, which it describes as potentially “the most significant gathering of faithful Anglicans since 2008.” Orthodox Anglicans may look to this and future GAFCON assemblies for spiritual leadership and direction, rather than to Canterbury. 

· Seek Oversight from GAFCON-Aligned Bishops: For parishes in England and other provinces where this is possible, seeking alternative episcopal oversight from bishops within the GAFCON network is an established practice to maintain communion with like-minded orthodox leaders. 

· Prioritize Doctrinal Fidelity Over Institutional Unity: GAFCON’s statement includes a call for repentance, but its primary focus is on moving forward with its own mission. This suggests that for many orthodox Anglicans, the response will be to prioritize maintaining biblical doctrine even at the cost of institutional unity with the See of Canterbury. 

· A Call for Prayer and Repentance: GAFCON’s communique, while firm, ends with a prayer that all hearts, including Mullally’s, would be softened to hear God’s voice in Scripture. This underscores that the response, from an orthodox perspective, should be grounded in prayer both for the wider church and for its leaders. 

This is undoubtedly a pivotal moment for orthodox Anglicans. The path forward likely involves a reaffirmation of commitment to traditional doctrine and a realignment of global Anglican structures around these beliefs. 

Based on the official statements from the two major orthodox Anglican groups, the response to Bishop Sarah Mullally’s appointment is one of profound sorrow and a firm declaration that the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury can no longer serve as a focus of unity for the global communion. 

THE IMPARATIVE FOR AMC CLERGY 

Understanding the foregoing, we recommend that the Clergy of the Diocese of AMC Europe should: 

A. See this as a missional opportunity to reach out to those among them in our different communities who may have questions arising from this appointment and the uncertain future of the Church of England.
B. The Church should be welcoming, loving and caring. We must love the sinner why condemning the sin. 

C. We must strive to be examples of the gospel we preach as we embody it, living the crucified life in a secularised culture.
D. We should strive to understand the ongoing conversations and debates, engage with enquirers with respect while remaining faithful to the authentic gospel, our biblical foundation, biblical authority and Christian orthodoxy. 

E. We must be ready at all times to defend the faith entrusted to us as we faithfully fulfil our ordination vows. 

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” Jude 1:24-25 

The Lord be with you His servant and yours 

The Right Reverend Dr Gideon Ilechukwu
Diocesan Bishop
Diocese of Anglican Missionary Congregations(AMC)Europe 05-10-2025 

APPENDIX 1: LAMBETH CONFERENCE RESOLUTION ON HUMAN SEXUALITY 

Section I.10 – Human Sexuality Resolution I.10
Human Sexuality
This Conference: 

1. commends to the Church the subsection report on human sexuality; 
2. in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage; 
3. recognises that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God’s transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ; 
4. while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex; 
5. cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions; 
6. requests the Primates and the ACC to establish a means of monitoring the work done on the subject of human sexuality in the Communion and to share statements and resources among us; 
7. notes the significance of the Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality and the concerns expressed in resolutions IV.26, V.1, V.10, V.23 and V.35 on the authority of Scripture in matters of marriage and sexuality and asks the Primates and the ACC to include them in their monitoring process. 

1. Called to Full Humanity – Section 1 Report 

Subsection 3 – Human Sexuality 

Human sexuality is the gift of a loving God. It is to be honoured and cherished by all people. As a means for the expression of the deepest human love and intimacy, sexuality has great power. 

The Holy Scriptures and Christian tradition teach that human sexuality is intended by God to find its rightful and full expression between a man and a woman in the covenant of marriage, established by God in creation, and affirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Matrimony is, by intention and divine purpose, to be a life-long, monogamous and unconditional commitment 

between a woman and a man. The Lambeth Conference 1978 and 1998 both affirmed ‘marriage to be sacred, instituted by God and blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ’. 

The New Testament and Christian history identify singleness and dedicated celibacy as Christ-like ways of living. The Church needs to recognise the demands and pressures upon both single and married people. Human beings define themselves by relationships with God and other persons. Churches need to find effective ways of encouraging Christ-like living, as well as providing opportunities for the flourishing of friendship, and the building of supportive community life. 

We also recognise that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God’s transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships. We wish to assure them that they are loved by God, and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ. We call upon the Church and all its members to work to end any discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and to oppose homophobia. 

Clearly some expressions of sexuality are inherently contrary to the Christian way and are sinful. Such unacceptable expression of sexuality include promiscuity, prostitution, incest, pornography, paedophilia, predatory sexual behaviour, and sadomasochism (all of which may be heterosexual and homosexual), adultery, violence against wives, and female circumcision. From a Christian perspective these forms of sexual expression remain sinful in any context. We are particularly concerned about the pressures on young people to engage in sexual activity at an early age, and we urge our Churches to teach the virtue of abstinence. 

All human relationships need the transforming power of Christ which is available to all, and particularly when we fall short of biblical norms. 

We must confess that we are not of one mind about homosexuality. Our variety of understanding encompasses: 

• ·  those who believe that homosexuality is a disorder, but that through the grace of Christ people can be changed, although not without pain and struggle. 
• ·  those who believe that relationships between people of the same gender should not include genital expression, that this is the clear teaching of the Bible and of the Church universal, and that such activity (if unrepented of) is a barrier to the Kingdom of God. 
• ·  those who believe that committed homosexual relationships fall short of the biblical norm, but are to be preferred to relationships that are anonymous and transient. 
• ·  those who believe that the Church should accept and support or bless monogamous covenant relationships between homosexual people and that they may be ordained. 

It appears that the opinion of the majority of bishops is not prepared to bless same sex unions or to ordain active homosexuals. Furthermore many believe that there should be a moratorium on such practices. 

We have prayed, studied and discussed these issues, and we are unable to reach a common mind on the scriptural, theological, historical, and scientific questions which are raised. There is much that we do not yet understand. We request the Primates and the Anglican 

Consultative Council to establish a means of monitoring work done in the Communion on these issues and to share statements and resources among us. 

The challenge to our Church is to maintain its unity while we seek, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to discern the way of Christ for the world today with respect to human sexuality. To do so will require sacrifice, trust and charity towards one another, remembering that ultimately the identity of each person is defined by Christ. 

There can be no description of human reality, in general or in particular, outside the reality of Christ. We must be on guard, therefore, against constructing any other ground for our identities than the redeemed humanity given to use in him. Those who understand themselves as homosexuals, no more and no less than those who do not, are liable to false understandings based on personal or family histories, emotional dispositions, social settings and solidarities formed by common experiences or ambitions. Our sexual affections can no more define who we are than our class race or nationality. At the deepest ontological level, therefore, there is no such thing as “a” homosexual or “a” hetrosexual; therefore there are human beings, male and female, called to redeemed humainty in Christ, endowed with a complex variety of emotional potentialities and threatened by a complex variety of forms of alienation. 

APPENDIX 2 

The Jerusalem Declaration 2008 

In the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit:

We, the participants in the Global Anglican Future Conference, have met in the land of Jesus’ birth. We express our loyalty as disciples to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus. We joyfully embrace his command to proclaim the reality of his kingdom which he first announced in this land. The gospel of the kingdom is the good news of salvation, liberation and transformation for all. In light of the above, we agree to chart a way forward together that promotes and protects the biblical gospel and mission to the world, solemnly declaring the following tenets of orthodoxy which underpin our Anglican identity. 

1. We rejoice in the gospel of God through which we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Because God first loved us, we love him and as believers bring forth fruits of love, ongoing repentance, lively hope and thanksgiving to God in all things. 

2. We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God written and to contain all things necessary for salvation. The Bible is to be translated, read, preached, taught and obeyed in its plain and canonical sense, respectful of the church’s historic and consensual reading. 

3. We uphold the four Ecumenical Councils and the three historic Creeds as expressing the rule of faith of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church. 4. We uphold the Thirty-nine Articles as containing the true doctrine of the Church agreeing with God’s Word and as authoritative for Anglicans today. 

5. We gladly proclaim and submit to the unique and universal Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, humanity’s only Saviour from sin, judgement and hell, who lived the life we could not live and died the death that we deserve. By his atoning death and glorious resurrection, he secured the redemption of all who come to him in repentance and faith. 

6. We rejoice in our Anglican sacramental and liturgical heritage as an expression of the gospel, and we uphold the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as a true and authoritative standard of worship and prayer, to be translated and locally adapted for each culture. 

7. We recognise that God has called and gifted bishops, priests and deacons in historic succession to equip all the people of God for their ministry in the world.

8. We uphold the classic Anglican Ordinal as an authoritative standard of clerical orders. We acknowledge God’s creation of humankind as male and female and the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family. We repent of our failures to maintain this standard and call for a renewed commitment to lifelong fidelity in marriage and abstinence for those who are not married. 

9. We gladly accept the Great Commission of the risen Lord to make disciples of all nations, to seek those who do not know Christ and to baptise, teach and bring new believers to maturity.
10.We are mindful of our responsibility to be good stewards of God’s creation, to uphold and advocate justice in society, and to seek relief and empowerment of the poor and needy. 

11.We are committed to the unity of all those who know and love Christ and to building authentic ecumenical relationships.We recognise the orders and jurisdiction of those Anglicans who uphold orthodox faith and practice, and we encourage them to join us in this declaration. 

12.We celebrate the God-given diversity among us which enriches our global fellowship, and we acknowledge freedom in secondary matters. We pledge to work together to seek the mind of Christ on issues that divide us.
13.We reject the authority of those churches and leaders who have denied the orthodox faith in word or deed. We pray for them and call on them to repent and return to the Lord. 

14.We rejoice at the prospect of Jesus’ coming again in glory, and while we await this final event of history, we praise him for the way he builds up his church through his Spirit by miraculously changing lives. 

In a formal response made available to ACNN through the office of the Communications officer of the Church, Mr Korede Akintunde, dated Monday, October 6, 2025, the Most Revd Henry C. Ndukuba, Primate of the Church of Nigeria, who personally signed the letter characterized the news of the appointment as “a devastating one that ignores the current situation and challenges being faced by the Anglican Communion.”

Primate Ndukuba outlined what he termed a “double jeopardy” in the decision. First, he stated the appointment showed insensitivity to the majority of Anglicans who are unable to embrace female headship in the episcopate.

More disturbing, he said, was that Bishop Mullally is a “strong supporter of same-sex marriage,” citing her 2023 speech following a vote to approve the blessings of homosexuals when she described the result as a “moment of hope for the Church.”

“It is a double jeopardy; first, in its insensitivity to the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who are unable to embrace female headship in the episcopate, and second, more disturbing that Bishop Sarah Mullally is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage as evidenced in her speech in 2023, after a vote to approve the blessings of homosexuals when she described the result as a “moment of hope for the Church,” he wrote.

The Primate questioned how the new Archbishop could “hope to mend the already torn fabric of the Anglican Communion by the contentious same-sex marriage, which has caused an enormous crisis across the entire Anglican Communion for over two decades.”

As a member of the GAFCON family, the Church of Nigeria stated re-affirmed its commitment to “uphold the authority of the Scriptures, our historic creeds, evangelism and holy Christian living, irrespective of the ongoing revisionist agenda.”

“On our part, as a member of the GAFCON family, the Church of Nigeria affirms, the GAFCON position unreservedly, and re­ affirm our earlier stance to uphold the authority of the Scriptures and our historic creeds, believing our Lord Jesus Christ has built His church and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16 :18).”

He concluded the statement saying that the election “is a further confirmation that the global Anglican world could no longer accept the leadership of the Church of England and that of the Archbishop of Canterbury.” 

Finally, the Church of Nigeria encouraged all “faithful brothers and sisters in the Church of England who have consistently rejected the aberration called same-sex marriage and other ungodly teachings, by contending for the faith that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).”

Read Full Statement Below:

The appointment is historic, as Mullally is the first woman to hold the Anglican Church’s most senior position.

The reaction came in a letter dated October 4, 2025, addressed to all ECSS clergy and the faithful, from the Most Rev’d Dr. Justin Badi Arama, Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Metropolitan Bishop.

The Primate stated that it is “sad that this newly appointed Archbishop is a supporter of same sex marriage.”He specifically referenced Mullally’s remarks following the Church of England’s Synod in February 2023, where she described the decision to allow priests to bless same-sex couples as a “moment of hope for the Church.”

In response to the appointment, Archbishop Badi reaffirmed the ECSS’s theological stance. “Our position as the Episcopal Church of South Sudan is to uphold the traditional Christian teaching on marriage and to proclaim the biblical Anglican faith,” the letter stated.

Archbishop Badi also reiterated his position as Chair of the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA), noting that the GSFA has issued a letter “reaffirming our position of not recognizing unbiblical and un-orthodox leadership.”

This move signals a continuation of the theological schism within the global Anglican Communion, primarily between Western provinces and conservative provinces in the Global South.

The letter concluded by clarifying that the ECSS’s ongoing communion and fellowship would be channeled through the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches and the Gafcon renewal movement, rather than through the leadership structure headed by Canterbury.

Despite the division, the ECSS affirmed, “We continue to uphold the Church of England in prayers as we also pray for ourselves.”

The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, Archbishop of Church of Uganda, expressed “sadness” over the decision, citing Mullally’s “support and advocacy for unbiblical positions on sexuality and same-sex marriage.”

In a statement addressed to Ugandan Christians, Archbishop Kaziimba Mugalu asserted that Mullally’s appointment reveals her “departure from the historic Anglican positions that uphold the authority of Scripture for faith and life.”

The Church of Uganda, a founding member of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), views the appointment as a deepening of the rift within the Anglican Communion. This split, the statement argues, originated in 2003 with the consecration of a bishop in a same-sex relationship by The Episcopal Church (TEC).

“The tear in the fabric of the Anglican Communion has now reached the highest level of the Communion,” the Archbishop wrote. He labelled the decision by the Church of England as a “grievous decision… to separate itself from the vast majority of the global Anglican Communion,” expressing concern that “there appears to be no repentance.”

The Church of Uganda affirmed its earlier declaration made at the 2023 Gafcon statement in Kigali, stating they “no longer recognize the Archbishop of Canterbury as having global authority” and that the office “is certainly no longer an ‘Instrument of Communion.'”

With Mullally’s appointment, Archbishop Kaziimba Mugalu concluded, the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury is “reduced simply to the Primate of All England.”

The Church of Uganda extended prayers and a “hand of fellowship” to those in the Church of England disillusioned by the new appointment, offering solidarity through Gafcon and the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans.

The Archbishop reassured Ugandan Christians that the Church remains part of a worldwide communion committed to proclaiming the “historic and Biblical faith of Anglicanism—faithfulness to Christ and submission to the authority of Scripture.”

He concluded on a hopeful note for those adhering to traditional views, stating, “The future of Gospel-centred mission in our Anglican tradition is bright,” and recalling the Gafcon 2018 declaration: “We will proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations.”

The Church of England on Friday named the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. 

Dame Sarah, 63, has served as the Bishop of London since 2018. Her appointment, which follows the resignation of Archbishop Justin Welby, was formally approved by King Charles III. 

Known for her career in healthcare, where she was the youngest-ever Chief Nursing Officer for England, she is expected to be installed at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026.

In her initial remarks, Archbishop-designate Mullally said she approached the responsibility “with a sense of peace and trust in God,” emphasizing her commitment to service and seeking to “bring people together to find hope and healing.”

Mullally acknowledged the responsibility and thanked the church for the trust.

“As I respond to the call of Christ to this new ministry, I do so in the same spirit of service to God and to others that has motivated me since I first came to faith as a teenager,” she said.

“At every stage of that journey, through my nursing career and Christian ministry, I have learned to listen deeply — to people and to God’s gentle prompting — to seek to bring people together to find hope and healing.”

Responding to the appointment, the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), which represents millions of Anglicans, issued a statement expressing “sorrow” and suggesting the decision would deepen existing divisions within the Communion.

The statement, delivered by GAFCON Primates Council Chairman the Most Reverend Dr. Laurent Mbanda, focused on the theological stance on marriage and sexuality of Mullally. 

GAFCON highlighted that the Archbishop-designate has previously voted in favour of introducing the blessing of same-sex marriages in the Church of England and has been outspoken in her views on sexual ethics. 

The body also believes these actions and views are contrary to scriptural authority and constitute a failure to uphold her consecration vows to “banish and drive away all strange and erroneous doctrine.”

GAFCON also stated that the appointment of a woman to the role makes it impossible for the Archbishop of Canterbury to serve as a “focus of unity” for the entire Communion. “The majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy.”

GAFCON reaffirmed its Kigali Commitment of 2023, stating they can no longer recognize the Archbishop of Canterbury as a credible “Instrument of Communion.”

To address the path forward, GAFCON announced a significant gathering of orthodox Anglican bishops at the G26 Bishops Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria, in March 2026. 

The organization also expressed a desire for Archbishop Mullally to “repent” and work with GAFCON to mend the divisions in the Anglican body.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The news has finally arrived after months of prayer and long waiting. But it is with sorrow that Gafcon receives the announcement today of the appointment of Dame Sarah Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury. This appointment abandons global Anglicans, as the Church of England has chosen a leader who will further divide an already split Communion.

For over a century and a half, the Archbishop of Canterbury functioned not only as the Primate of All England but also as a spiritual and moral leader of the Anglican Communion. In more recent times, the See of Canterbury has been described as one of the four “Instruments of Communion,” whilst also chairing the other three Instruments, namely the Lambeth Conference, the Primates Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council.

However, due to the failure of successive Archbishops of Canterbury to guard the faith, the office can no longer function as a credible leader of Anglicans, let alone a focus of unity. As we made clear in our Kigali Commitment of 2023, we can “no longer recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury as an Instrument of Communion” or the “first among equals” of global Primates.

We had hoped that the Church of England would take this into due consideration as it deliberated over the choice of a new Archbishop of Canterbury and would choose someone who could bring unity to a divided Anglican Communion. Sadly, they have not done so.

Though there are some who will welcome the decision to appoint Bishop Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy. Therefore, her appointment will make it impossible for the Archbishop of Canterbury to serve as a focus of unity within the Communion.

However, more concerning is her failure to uphold her consecration vows. When she was consecrated in 2015, she took an oath to “banish and drive away all strange and erroneous doctrine contrary to God’s Word.” And yet, far from banishing such doctrine, Bishop Mullally has repeatedly promoted unbiblical and revisionist teachings regarding marriage and sexual morality.

In 2023, when asked by a reporter whether sexual intimacy in a same-sex relationship is sinful, she said that some such relationships could, in fact, be blessed. She also voted in favour of introducing blessings of same-sex marriage into the Church of England.

Anglicans believe that the church has been given authority by God to establish rites and ceremonies and to settle doctrine controversy, “and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God’s Word” (Article XX). The church cannot bless or affirm what God has condemned (Numbers 23:8; 24:13). This, however, is precisely what Bishop Mullally has sought to allow.

Since the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury has failed to guard the faith and is complicit in introducing practices and beliefs that violate both the “plain and canonical sense” of Scripture and “the Church’s historic and consensual” interpretation of it (Jerusalem Statement), she cannot provide leadership to the Anglican Communion. The leadership of the Anglican Communion will pass to those who uphold the truth of the gospel and the authority of Scripture in all areas of life. 

Gafcon gathered in Jerusalem in 2008 to reset the Anglican Communion back onto its biblical foundations. Today’s appointment makes it clearer than ever before that Canterbury has relinquished its authority to lead. The reset of our beloved Communion is now uniquely in the hands of Gafcon, and we are ready to take the lead.

For such a time as this, Gafcon has summoned global orthodox Anglican bishops to Abuja, Nigeria, from 3 to 6 March, 2026, for the G26 Bishops Assembly. This may be the most significant gathering of faithful Anglicans since 2008.

Today’s announcement will cause sadness and dismay among Anglicans worldwide.  Yet, every morning, Anglicans throughout the world recite the words of Psalm 95: “Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” 

Today, that is our prayer for all bishops and leaders within the Anglican Communion, including Bishop Sarah Mullally. We pray that as she takes upon herself the weight of this historic office, she will repent, and earnestly work with the Gafcon leadership to mend the torn fabric of our Anglican Communion. 

May all our hearts be softened to hear the voice of God in Scripture, and may we all be inclined to obey, as we move out in gospel mission to a lost and hurting world, for the glory of God.

Yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend Dr Laurent Mbanda

Chairman, Gafcon Primates Council

Friday 3rd October, 2025

After the bishops’ Zoom meeting with Welby, Missouri Bishop Deon Johnson posted a screengrab of the meeting to his Facebook page. The participating bishops declined to comment further when Episcopal News Service inquired with their dioceses. The Diocese of Missouri later told ENS that the LGBTQ bishops had initiated the meeting.

The archbishop of Canterbury convenes the Lambeth Conference of bishops about every 10 years. Tensions over LGBTQ bishops’ attendance at this year’s conference has focused on Welby’s decision to invite those bishops but not their spouses. Within The Episcopal Church, criticism of that decision came to a head at the September 2019 meeting of the House of Bishops, which issued a message of solidarity with the bishops and their excluded spouses.

The controversy was not addressed the Facebook post by Johnson. He was joined in the meeting by New York Assistant Bishop Mary Glasspool, Maine Bishop Thomas Brown and Michigan Bishop Bonnie Perry. Bishop Kevin Robertson of Canada’s Diocese of Toronto and Bishop Cherry Vann of Wales’ Diocese of Monmouth also participated.

“On Tuesday, January 11, 2022, some of the LGBTQ Bishops within the Anglican Communion had a very Christ-centered meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, which was very fruitful as we make our way towards the Lambeth Conference 2022,” Johnson’s post said. “In our meeting, we had an opportunity to hear and share stories that allow us to continue to walk in love. We are grateful to the Archbishop and his staff for their time and compassionate listening.”

In the screengrab of the meeting, Welby was joined by Bishop Anthony Poggo, his adviser on Anglican Communion affairs, and Philippa Park, the Anglican Communion program coordinator.

ENS sought a comment from Welby but had not received a response from his communications team by the time this story was posted.

The Lambeth Conference, originally scheduled for 2020, was postponed to this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. It now is scheduled for July 27 to Aug. 8 in England at the University of Kent, Canterbury Cathedral and Lambeth Palace. Its stated purpose is to bring together bishops from the 41 Anglican provinces to discuss “church and world affairs and the global mission of the Anglican Communion for the decade ahead.”

In 2008, at the last Lambeth Conference, then-New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay and partnered bishop in the Anglican Communion, was not allowed to attend by then-Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

Amid planning for the upcoming Lambeth Conference, news broke in early 2019 that Welby had excluded same-sex spouses in his invitations to all bishops. He later defended the decision by saying he saw it as a way to balance the divisions in the communion. Some of the more conservative Anglican provinces maintain objections to The Episcopal Church’s widespread acceptance of LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage.

The Episcopal Church House of Bishops issued an initial statement in March 2019, saying it was “aggrieved and distressed” by Welby’s decision, though a majority of the bishops still planned to attend Lambeth Conference. The bishops’ follow-up message in September 2019 said each will engage in “faithful soul-searching” on how they will respond.

“The community of bishops and spouses supports and stands together in solidarity with each of our brothers and sisters in this Episcopal Church as they make these decisions according to their conscience and through prayerful discernment and invite the siblings of The Episcopal Church to join us in that solidarity,” the House of Bishops’ statement said.

The Bishop of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa, Mouneer Anis, will chair the new group, which will meet for the first time in Cairo in February next year. Bishop Mouneer addressed the primates in a video message filmed in his diocese’s new media centre. Each province in the Anglican Communion has been invited identify suitable members of the commission.

“Building on the strong foundations laid by the Network for Inter Faith Concerns (NIFCON), the Anglican Inter Faith Commission . . . will work both internationally and in regional groups across the Anglican Communion, in the first instance to gather research into the engagement of Anglicans with people of other faiths,” A spokesperson for the Commission said. “It will look at both the challenges and the opportunities of inter faith dialogue, of working together with other faith communities for the common good and of witnessing to and sharing the love of God with others.

“The Commission will listen carefully to the experiences of Anglicans in all the provinces and will seek to identify good practice which can be shared throughout the Communion. It will then develop regional and thematic work streams which will seek to enrich the life and ministry of the Anglican Communion worldwide in its relationships with people from faith backgrounds other than Christian.”

At a press conference in a building overlooking Canterbury Cathedral, at the end of the Primates’ Meeting, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said that “the issues of interfaith strain, stress, even conflict, are global, they are generational and they are ideological.”

He said that the new Commission “will bring together the wisest people across the Communion to work on this area in the places of highest tension with the aim of replacing diversity in conflict with diversity in collaboration.”

The Commission would operate at “different levels”, Archbishop Justin said. “There is a very strong emphasis on operating at a global level, but also at provincial and regional levels . . . because different levels face different issues of conflict between faiths, or of tension between faiths, and potential conflict; and opportunities for collaboration between faith groups depending upon whether Christians are a majority or minority in the area, or what the other faith groups are in the area, and so on.

“It will look at both issues around the theology of our differences and how we handle those, and also practical application of working together.”

The secretary general of the Anglican Communion, Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, told ACNS that at a time of “ever increasing influence of extremists . . . among the major religious communities in a significant number of our provinces, this Inter Faith Commission and its objectives are a welcome and timely step in the right direction.

“This is an opportunity for the Anglican Communion to play its role in every part of the world where we are present.”

Speaking at the press conference, he added: “particularly in parts of the world where Christians are a minority, with this Anglican Commission, the minority status will now have something bigger to look up to. It means when that country speaks there are 165 other countries speaking through that local representation.”