Church of Nigeria cuts ties with England over appointment of female Archbishop of Canterbury

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has officially declared its spiritual independence from the Church of England, marking a significant shift in global Anglican relations.

The decision follows the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury — a move the Nigerian Church strongly opposes.

In a statement, the Church of Nigeria condemned Mullally’s appointment, citing her support for same-sex marriage and her status as the first woman to occupy the position as indicators of what it described as “a deep moral decay” within the leadership of the Anglican Communion.

In a statement signed by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, the Church described the announcement made on Friday, October 3, 2025, as ‘devastating’ and ‘insensitive’, accusing the Church of England of ignoring the deep divisions already facing the global Anglican community.

“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 statement recalled Bishop Mullally’s 2023 remarks following a vote by the Church of England to approve blessings for same-sex couples, in which she described the outcome as ‘a moment of hope’ for the Church.

The Nigerian Church said such views deepen the wounds already tearing at the unity of the Anglican Communion.

“It remains to be seen how the same person hopes to mend the already torn fabric of the Anglican Communion by the contentious same-sex marriage, which has caused enormous crisis across the Communion for over two decades,” the Church said.

Describing the development as proof that the global Anglican family could no longer accept the leadership of the Church of England and that of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) and its principles.

“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 in England and elsewhere to remain steadfast in defending biblical truth and resisting ‘ungodly’ teachings that compromise the Christian faith.

“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 added.