The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has officially severed spiritual ties with the Church of England, rejecting the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury.
The decision comes amid objections to Mullally’s support for same-sex marriage and her historic position as the first female Archbishop, which the Nigerian church says signal a moral decline in Anglican leadership.
Primate Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, in a statement, described the 3 October 2025 announcement as “devastating” and “insensitive,” accusing the Church of England of overlooking deep divisions within the global Anglican community.
“This appointment ignores the beliefs of the majority of Anglicans who do not accept female bishops and is compounded by Bishop Mullally’s strong advocacy for same-sex marriage,” the statement read.
The Church referenced Mullally’s 2023 comments celebrating the Church of England’s approval of blessings for same-sex couples as “a moment of hope,” saying her stance further strains the unity of the Communion.
“It is difficult to see how someone who actively promotes same-sex marriage can bridge the divisions that have troubled the Anglican Communion for more than two decades,” the statement added.
Declaring that the Church of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury no longer represent the global Anglican community, Nigeria’s Anglican leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) and its principles.
“As a GAFCON member, the Church of Nigeria remains dedicated to Scripture, historic creeds, evangelism, and holy living, despite ongoing revisionist agendas,” the statement said.
The Church called on conservative Anglicans both in England and worldwide to defend biblical teachings and resist what it described as ungodly doctrines.
“We urge all faithful members of the Church of England who oppose same-sex marriage and other contrary teachings to continue contending for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3),” it concluded.
