The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has rejected Bishop Sarah Mullally’s appointment as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, declaring full spiritual independence from the Church of England.
Primate Henry Ndukuba described the appointment as “devastating” and “insensitive” in a statement from the Church of Nigeria. It said the Church of England ignored the deep divisions already weakening the global Anglican community.
The Church said Mullally’s support for same-sex marriage and her promotion show “moral deterioration” in Anglican leadership.
“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 statement said.
The Church also recalled Mullally’s 2023 comments after the Church of England voted to allow blessings for same-sex couples. At the time, she called the decision “a moment of hope” for the Church.
According to the Nigerian Church, such statements deepen the divisions threatening the unity of the Anglican Communion.
The Church questioned how she could repair the Anglican Communion torn by two decades of same-sex marriage controversies.
The Church of Nigeria reaffirmed its allegiance to the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) and its biblical principles. It said the development shows the global Anglican community no longer accepts the Church of England or the Archbishop’s leadership.
“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 urged conservative Anglicans worldwide to stand firm in defending biblical truth and rejecting teachings opposing Christian doctrine.
“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, by contending for the faith that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3),” the statement read.
