Anglican Communion Confronts Potential Historic Division
Anglicans worldwide are confronting profound questions about the future unity of their global church family. Can the Anglican Communion, one of the world's largest Christian communions, remain intact amidst deepening theological rifts? Or have centuries of unity been irreparably frayed by fundamental disagreements? The answers may begin to emerge this week as conservative leaders gather for a critical meeting in Nigeria.
Conservative Coalition Gathers in Abuja
Conservative leaders from numerous Anglican churches are assembling in Abuja, Nigeria, on Tuesday for a four-day summit. This gathering, organised by the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Gafcon), will deliberate a plan that could precipitate a historic schism within the global Anglican community. Simultaneously, the historic Anglican Communion announced a revised restructuring proposal on Monday, aiming to decentralise leadership away from its traditional English base and foster cooperation despite significant theological disputes.
It remains uncertain whether this decentralisation initiative will influence Gafcon members. The Abuja meeting brings together numerous primates—national Anglican leaders—alongside bishops, clergy, and lay representatives. This coalition, predominantly from Global South nations representing some of Anglicanism's largest provinces, operates outside the official London-based Anglican Communion, though most Gafcon churches retain membership within it.
Liberal Trends Widen Theological Divides
Gafcon leaders have consistently opposed liberal developments within Anglican churches in Europe and North America, including the Episcopal Church in the United States. Key points of contention include the acceptance of same-sex marriage and the ordination of openly LGBTQ+ clergy. These divisions have intensified over recent decades, leading some national churches to withdraw from Anglican Communion gatherings altogether.
Last year, Gafcon's chairman, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of Rwanda, issued a statement effectively advocating for a break from the current structure of the historic communion. He declared that "the Anglican Communion will be reordered," envisioning a reformed "Global Anglican Communion" overseen by a new council with elected chairpersons irrespective of nationality. Historically, the Archbishop of Canterbury in England has been regarded as "first among equals," a symbolic spiritual leader, despite churches being self-governing and cooperating voluntarily.
While some Anglican primates associated with Gafcon endorsed Mbanda's proposal last year, others remained silent or reaffirmed their commitment to the traditional Anglican Communion. The Abuja meetings may result in the adoption, modification, or rejection of Mbanda's plan. Bishop Paul Donison, general secretary of Gafcon, emphasised that last year's proposal was "not the final word," noting in a video on the conference website that "there is much to iron out, much to discern, much to structure carefully and faithfully."
Decentralisation Proposals from the Traditional Communion
Even as rifts widen, the Anglican Communion is advancing its own decentralisation strategy, described as making the communion "less Canterbury-centric." This recognises that a majority of Anglicans now reside in the Global South, far from England. The proposals, years in development with revisions announced on Monday, are technically detailed. Essentially, the Archbishop of Canterbury would share many leadership roles with primates from other nations.
Bishop Graham Tomlin, who chairs the commission proposing these changes, stated he does not know if the proposal will affect Gafcon's deliberations. The objective is to sustain cooperation while "acknowledging the depth of the disagreements among us," he explained during an online news conference on Monday. "The history of the church tells us that when we do make radical breaks from one another, it's very hard to mend those walls, and this is a way of hopefully keeping us together," Tomlin added.
Context of Global Anglicanism
The Anglican family traces its origins to the Reformation-era establishment of the Church of England, blending Protestant theology with Catholic-like rituals and sacraments. It expanded globally through British colonialism and missionary endeavours, later achieving significant evangelistic success under local leadership, particularly in Africa. The Anglican Communion Office estimates approximately 85 million members across 165 countries, encompassing over 40 autonomous provinces.
The Abuja meeting follows closely after the Church of England installed Archbishop Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. While some conservative Anglican leaders abroad criticised her selection based on gender, primary opposition centred on her stance regarding LGBTQ+ issues. Mullally has affirmed the Church of England's current definition of marriage as between a man and a woman but supported plans for blessing same-sex couples and acknowledged "the harm that we have done" as a church to LGBTQ+ individuals.
Homosexuality remains taboo in many African nations, sometimes criminalised under colonial-era laws or newer legislation. For instance, Uganda enacted legislation in 2023 prescribing the death penalty for certain homosexual offences. The Anglican Consultative Council, comprising representatives from across the communion, will review the decentralisation proposal this summer.
Over 400 participants—including clergy, lay members, and bishops—are anticipated at the Gafcon gathering in Abuja, according to Donison. While Global South churches are prominent within Gafcon, other attendees include the Anglican Church in North America, formed by conservatives who separated from the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada.
