A third of Anglican bishops ignore enthronement of female Archbishop

Sarah Mullally during the ceremony of her elevation to the rank of Archbishop of Canterbury. Photo: blipfoto

The enthronement of the new head of the Anglican Communion – Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally – was ignored by a significant portion of the episcopate, reports Christian Today.

The ceremony took place at the Canterbury Cathedral and was called by organizers "a truly global gathering." However, as noted in the publication, archbishops (primates) from 16 of the 42 Anglican provinces were absent.

According to the publication, at least 12 primates – more than a quarter of the total number – consciously refused to participate in the service. Among them are the Archbishops of Alexandria, Chile, Congo, Indian Ocean, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South East Asia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. Three more provinces – Jerusalem, Melanesia, and Papua New Guinea – sent their apologies due to travel problems caused by the war in the Persian Gulf.

As a result, despite the external solemnity of the ceremony, the publication concludes: "The real story is that the representatives of the vast majority of the world’s Anglicans have turned their back on Canterbury."

As the UOJ reported, Anglicans of the Global South broke with Canterbury to establish their own Council.

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