Anglican Church of Nigeria Cuts Ties with Canterbury Over Appointment of ‘Pro-Gay’ Female Archbishop

Story: Written by Peterson October 7,2025

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has officially declared its spiritual and administrative separation from the Church of England, following the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.

In a strongly worded statement issued by its Primate, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, the Nigerian Church condemned the decision as evidence of a “deep moral decline” within the leadership of the global Anglican Communion.

According to the statement, the October 3, 2025 announcement of Bishop Mullally’s elevation marks “a devastating and insensitive move” that disregards the beliefs of millions of traditional Anglicans worldwide.

Nigeria Rejects Female and Pro-LGBTQ+ Anglican Leadership

The Church of Nigeria said the appointment represents a “double betrayal” — first for allowing a woman to head the Anglican Communion and secondly for choosing a cleric who openly supports same-sex marriage.

“This election disregards the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who cannot accept female episcopal leadership, and it is even more troubling that Bishop Mullally is a known advocate of same-sex marriage,” the statement read.

The Nigerian Church also cited Mullally’s 2023 comments welcoming the Church of England’s approval of blessings for same-sex couples, where she described the decision as “a moment of hope.” Nigerian clerics said such views threaten the unity and doctrinal integrity of the Anglican faith.

Church of Nigeria Aligns with GAFCON

Reaffirming its alliance with the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) — a coalition of conservative Anglican churches — the Nigerian branch said it would continue to uphold biblical authority, evangelism, and holy Christian living, rejecting what it called the “revisionist agenda” of Western churches.

“As a member of the GAFCON family, the Church of Nigeria remains committed to defending the faith once delivered to the saints,” Archbishop Ndukuba declared.

Call to Defend Traditional Christian Doctrine

The statement urged conservative Anglicans across England, Africa, and the wider Communion to stand firm in rejecting teachings that compromise scriptural truth and to remain faithful to historic Anglican doctrine.

The Church’s decision marks a new phase in the widening rift within the global Anglican Communion — a divide that continues to deepen over issues of gender leadership and same-sex marriage.