Nigeria’s Anglican Church severs spiritual ties with the Church of England following the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally—citing rejection of female headship and same-sex marriage advocacy.
Church of Nigeria Declares Spiritual Independence Over Appointment of Female Archbishop of Canterbury
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has formally declared its spiritual independence from the Church of England following the historic appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, the first woman to hold the position.
In a statement issued by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, the church described the development as “devastating and deeply insensitive,” warning that it marks a dangerous turning point in the history of global Anglicanism.
According to Archbishop Ndukuba, the appointment represents a “double jeopardy” for the faith:
“First, it disregards the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who cannot accept female headship in the episcopate; and second, it is deeply troubling that Bishop Sarah Mullally is a known supporter of same-s*x, also called ‘Agegey,’ marriage.”
The statement recalled Mullally’s 2023 remarks following the Church of England’s approval of blessings for same-s*x couples, when she called the decision “a moment of hope.” The Nigerian Church said such views have further eroded unity and moral integrity within the worldwide Anglican Communion.
“It remains unclear how someone who upholds same-s*x marriage can hope to heal the already fractured fabric of the Communion,” the statement added. “This appointment confirms that the Church of England no longer represents the moral or spiritual leadership of global Anglicanism.”
Reaffirming its loyalty to the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), the Church of Nigeria reiterated its commitment to “biblical authority, the historic creeds, evangelism, and holy living—irrespective of the ongoing revisionist agenda.”
The Primate also extended support to conservative Anglicans in the United Kingdom and across the world, urging them to “stand firm in defending scriptural truth.”
“We encourage all faithful brothers and sisters in the Church of England who have resisted the aberration called same-sex marriage to continue contending for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3),” the statement concluded.
The Church further noted the historical irony of the situation—recalling that it was the Church of England’s own missionaries who first brought Christianity to Nigeria and other parts of the global South.
“Today, the same Church seeks to abandon the very doctrines it once taught, replacing them with another gospel that is neither biblical nor moral,” the Church of Nigeria lamented.
The statement emphasized that, by divine providence, God has raised indigenous churches and spiritual movements across Nigeria for a time such as this—to preserve the faith, uphold the truth of Scripture, and safeguard the integrity of the Christian message.
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I have been waiting for the reaction of church of Nigeria on this matter and, trust me , they do not disappoint