- Church of Nigeria declares independence over new female Archbishop’s appointment.
- Cites Sarah Mullally’s support for same-sex marriage as moral decline.
- Reaffirms allegiance to GAFCON and calls Anglicans to uphold scripture.
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has officially declared its spiritual independence from the Church of England following the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Nigerian church described the decision as a turning point that highlights what it called a “moral decline” within the global Anglican leadership. The development follows Mullally’s elevation as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury and her known support for same-sex marriage.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a statement signed by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, the church condemned the October 3 announcement, calling it “devastating” and “insensitive.”
According to the statement, “This election is a double jeopardy. First, it disregards the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who cannot accept female headship in the episcopate; and second, it is more disturbing that Bishop Sarah Mullally is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage.”
The church recalled that in 2023, after the Church of England approved blessings for same-sex couples, Mullally publicly described the decision as “a moment of hope.” The Nigerian church said her position has deepened existing divisions within the Anglican Communion.
“It remains to be seen how the same person hopes to mend the already torn fabric of the Anglican Communion by the contentious same-sex marriage issue, which has caused enormous crisis across the Communion for over two decades,” the statement noted.
Declaring that the Anglican world can no longer look to Canterbury for moral or spiritual direction, the Church of Nigeria reaffirmed its full commitment to the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), a conservative bloc that champions traditional Christian teachings.
“On our part, as a member of the GAFCON family, the Church of Nigeria affirms the GAFCON position unreservedly and reaffirms our earlier stance to uphold the authority of the Scriptures, our historic creeds, evangelism, and holy Christian living, irrespective of the ongoing revisionist agenda,” the statement added.
The church further urged Anglicans in England and across the world to remain steadfast in defending biblical truth.
“We encourage all faithful brothers and sisters in the Church of England who have consistently rejected the aberration called same-sex marriage and other ungodly teachings to continue contending for the faith that was once delivered to the saints,” it concluded.
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