Anglicans worldwide unite against appointment of female archbishop

New Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally. Photo: PA

On October 3, 2025, millions of Anglicans worldwide protested against the appointment of Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. This decision has caused one of the most serious crises in the history of the Anglican Church and questioned its unity, repors the European Conservative.

The Anglican church risks losing tens of millions of members after the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Gafcon), an organization that represents a majority of the 85 million Anglicans worldwide, stated in a letter on their website that the appointment of Mullally “abandons Anglicans, as the Church of England has chosen a leader who will further divide an already split Communion”, as the majority of Anglicans outside the UK adhere to traditional Christian views.

Outrage over the Church of England's decision has swept millions of believers in different countries. Anglican communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where traditional views on priesthood and marriage are maintained, reacted particularly sharply to the appointment. Many priests and laypeople declare that they can no longer consider Canterbury as the spiritual center and call for the creation of new, Scripture-faithful leadership for the global Anglican community.

The document states that Mullally, known for her support of feminism, abortion, and the blessing of same-sex unions, "cannot provide leadership to the Anglican Communion". 

The chairman of the Gafcon Bishops' Council, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, emphasized that the Canterbury throne "no longer serves the function of spiritual unity". He called the event a "moment of truth" for global Anglicanism. “The leadership of the Anglican Communion will pass to those who uphold the truth of the gospel and the authority of Scripture in all areas of life,” Gafcon said, and called for a meeting of Orthodox Anglican bishops in Nigeria in March 2025. 

The reset of our beloved Communion is now uniquely in the hands of Gafcon, and we are ready to take the lead,” the letter said.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the first female Archbishop to lead the Church of England was appointed.

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