Conservative Anglicans Restructure Organization Amid Global Church Divisions

Conservative Anglican leaders have restructured their organization during a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, signaling a break from traditional structures within the global church. The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), which represents conservative churches mainly in Africa and Asia, has dissolved its Gafcon Primates Council and replaced it with the Global Anglican Council.

The new council includes primates, advisers, and guarantors made up of bishops, clergy, and lay members, each with full voting privileges. The announcement came during a meeting that drew 436 delegates from 48 countries representing over 180 dioceses worldwide.

The restructuring is seen as a response to liberal shifts in parts of the Anglican Communion, including the ordination of women and greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ members. GAFCON leaders have opposed these trends, particularly same-sex marriage and the ordination of openly LGBTQ+ clergy in Anglican churches of Europe and North America.

The divisions within the Anglican Communion are not monolithic. Some African churches, such as the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and Kenya's first female bishop Emily Onyango, have celebrated the appointment of Sarah Mullally as the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Anglican Communion is also considering proposals to decentralize its leadership away from England, recognizing that a majority of Anglicans now live in the Global South.

The outcome of the GAFCON meeting could determine whether the divisions within the Anglican Communion result in a formal split or if the church can find a way to accommodate its theological differences. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between traditional and progressive views within global Christianity.

A powerful group of conservative Anglicans has urged its members to boycott meetings convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury and halt any financial contributions to the current leadership, escalating a long-running rift within the church. Laurent Mbanda, installed as chairman of the new rival council, read a statement calling for 'a principled disengagement' from structures associated with the Church of England.

The declaration by GAFCON follows a decision to establish a new council rivalling the current leadership. The move comes just weeks before the Communion is due to enthrone Sarah Mullally as its Archbishop of Canterbury, until now spiritual leader of the world's 85 million Anglicans spread across 165 countries.