The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has declared its spiritual independence from the Church of England following the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
In a statement issued on Monday signed by the Primate, Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, the Church described Mullally’s elevation as “devastating” and “insensitive,” accusing the Church of England of ignoring the growing divisions within the global Anglican community.
According to the statement, the appointment of Bishop Mullally who becomes the first woman to occupy the position marks “a troubling moral decline” within the Church of England’s leadership, given her known support for same-sex marriage.
“This election is a double jeopardy,” the statement read. “First, it disregards the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who cannot accept female headship in the episcopate; and second, it is even more disturbing that Bishop Sarah Mullally is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage.”
The Church recalled Mullally’s 2023 remarks after the Church of England voted to approve blessings for same-sex couples, in which she described the decision as “a moment of hope.” The Nigerian Anglican leadership said such views have further deepened divisions that have plagued the Communion for over two decades.
“It remains to be seen how the same person hopes to mend the already torn fabric of the Anglican Communion by advancing a policy that has caused enormous crisis across the Church,” the statement added.
Declaring that the global Anglican family could no longer accept the spiritual authority of the Church of England or the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of Nigeria reaffirmed its allegiance to the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) and its principles.
“As a member of the GAFCON family, the Church of Nigeria affirms its commitment to uphold the authority of the Scriptures, the historic creeds, evangelism, and holy Christian living, irrespective of ongoing revisionist agendas,” the statement said.
The Church also called on conservative Anglicans in England and around the world to remain steadfast in defending biblical truth and rejecting teachings that, in its words, “compromise the Christian faith.”
“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 once delivered to the saints,” the statement concluded.
