₦airaland Forum

Anglican divisions deepen as rebel clerics pick rival to first female leader

Lebo Diseko
Global religion correspondent, Lagos

Clergy from a conservative grouping of the Anglican Church are meeting this week in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, to choose a rival to the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.

The UK's Sarah Mullally will officially be installed as the leader of the world's Anglican communion at a lavish ceremony later this month but her appointment has divided opinion in Nigeria, and elsewhere.

Many conservative Christians believe that only men should be consecrated as bishops.

The Vining Memorial Church Cathedral in Nigeria's main city Lagos was full of women in gold, green and purple "geles" or headwraps and men resplendent in white-flowing "agbada" robes for its weekly highlight, the Sunday service.

Some of the hymns and liturgy were the same as those sung by Anglicans around the world, but there were also differences, like the upbeat worship music that had the congregation dancing in the pews.

Some congregants, like Bunmi Odukoya, were supportive of the appointment.

"The work of God is an individual thing. If you're called - you can be a man, you can be a woman - you need to fulfil the calling of the Lord," he told the BBC.

Others, like Uche Nweke, strongly disagreed: "I don't think it's Christian. When you look at the Bible and the apostles, there was no woman in there, so a woman being the head of the Anglican church in England, I don't think it's going to go well."

In addition to being the most senior cleric in the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury is also "primus inter pares" - or first among equals - of the primates of the worldwide Anglican Communion, meaning she is the spiritual leader of almost 95 million Anglicans.

At its four-day meeting that has just started in Abuja, Gafcon, which describes itself as a global movement of "authentic Anglicans, guarding God's gospel", plans to elect its own "first among equals", just weeks ahead of Archbishop Mullaly's installation at Canterbury Cathedral.

The move threatens to turn divisions within the global church into a full-on split.

"This is a schism, even if they don't want to say that," Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford in England, told the BBC.

"This is a set of leaders, all male, going to a conference in Africa to assert [an] identity which no longer satisfies many Anglican churches - that is an all-male episcopate calling the shots."

Gafcon was formed in 2008 in response to theological differences within the Anglican Communion over the issue of same-sex unions.

In recent years those divisions have deepened, and in 2023 the group rejected the leadership of the previous Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, over proposals to bless same-sex couples, a position also held by his successor, Dame Sarah.

The group says it speaks for the majority of the world's Anglicans, although that is contested.

It does draw much of its support from Africa, but the view on the continent is by no means monolithic.

For example, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and Kenya's first female bishop Emily Onyango, both celebrated Sarah Mullally's appointment.

And while Gafcon accuses the Church of England of maintaining a colonial relationship with churches in the Global South and imposing its more progressive views, some of the organisers of this week's conference are based in the Americas and Australia, where the organisation also has a presence.

In October last year, Gafcon resolved to "reorder the Anglican Communion", refusing to take part in meetings convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and encouraging members to cut remaining ties with the Church of England.

The group said it had not left. Instead it claimed that it was the true Anglican Communion.

The election of its own global spiritual leader will bring the Church a step closer to an irrevocable split, and is "a very aggressive thing to do", said Prof MacCulloch, who is an Anglican.

The Anglican Communion is made up of 42 provinces in 165 countries around the world. Each has its own system of governance, but they share heritage, and ways of worshipping.

"We see ourselves as a family of autonomous, yet interdependent churches," Bishop Anthony Poggo, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, told the BBC.

It is the third largest Christian denomination after Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Church, giving its leaders a huge platform when speaking about issues such as climate change, human rights, or efforts for global peace.

Churches within it support each other spiritually and in terms of resources through what are known as companion links.

"These are examples of very positive things that we get out of this relationship," Bishop Poggo tells the BBC.

While there is no formal constitution, it is held together by four "Instruments of Communion", led by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Proposals to broaden the leadership of the Anglican Communion to better reflect its global nature will be discussed at the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) in June. But that is one of the instruments that Gafcon no longer recognises, so its members will not be there.

According to Bishop Poggo, any church or province that wants to leave the Communion ought to follow the process by which they joined, but in reverse.

"We need to go through our existing processes, namely, a standing committee, or the synods that we have in each of the provinces, rather than doing it outside of these processes."

So what happens when one part of the family refuses to do so, but behaves as if it has left?

"There is not much you can do," concedes Bishop Poggo, adding: "It saddens us."

The relationship between the first Anglican church and the rest of the world is looking increasingly precarious. But there are still some who value the connection with Canterbury.

Despite disagreeing with the Church of England's more liberal view, Nigerian youth pastor Alexander Olasinde says that the connection to the Church of England still matters to him

"All of us [as Christians] have one goal, and that is to make [it to] heaven. We need to find a common ground," the 34-year-old told the BBC.

"If we continue in this trend we'll have grudges, unsettled issues between us. So how do we even make it to heaven?"

Akwamkpuruamu:
Church of Nigeria is no longer under the church of England. The separation occured since Canterbury started wedding gay couples.

So this isn't new

OctavianAC:
Separation is not the only way out. Why not try and work with the king makers, then produce the leader who can do your bidding.

BarrElChapo:
Good for them. Though strictly speaking they were borne out of immorality

OctavianAC:
Separation is not the only way out. Why not try and work with the king makers, then produce the leader who can do your bidding.

Christistruth03:
The Church cannot work with Jezebel
She is a spoiler

saintokwuluora:
Your likes Corrupt the Chirch. Christianity is far beyond politics, like you guts play in APC where you are deluded that political sinners won't go to hell.

Akwamkpuruamu:
Church of Nigeria is no longer under the church of England. The separation occured since Canterbury started wedding gay couples.

So this isn't new

OctavianAC:
You can't separate religion from politics.

MaxInDHouse:
Somehow you got it wrong because the one and only true religion never had a single thing to do with politics Christ the king said:

"My disciples are no part of the world" John 17:14

So when you are talking about politics know that the one and only true religion is separate from the world! 2Corinthians 6:17

OctavianAC:
You are not of the world 🌎 means, you shouldn't be part of worldly things like too much fashion, over drinking, et cetera.

MaxInDHouse:
Being no part of the world has nothing to do with fashion and drinking o it simply means no part of the world's political system.

In the Bible the tree of knowledge of good and evil means politics as in we shouldn't think of ruling over our fellow human because when it comes to setting standards regarding good and bad only God knows! Genesis 2:17

That is why God told Abraham to leave his people and start the lineage of true religion which has nothing to do with worldly politics.

Note that pagan Kings were the only ones ruling over the world throughout the history of mankind while God is protecting Israel from attacks as these pagan rulers wants to dominate all the nations God kept defending Israel until the Israelites themselves turned against God.

In fact when they demanded for a king Samuel told them that it's the worstest thing they are demanding {1Samuel 8:10-18} because God only reserved the rulership of the earth for just one man Jesus Christ! Isaiah 9:6; Daniel 2:44

So till that time God permits humans to continue dominating themselves. This understanding eludes the Israelites even during Jesus' time faithful servants of God were agitating claiming it's wrong for Christ to allow pagans to continue ruling the world because it'll affect faithful servants of God since Satan is in charge of the world's government! John 14:30; 2Corinthians 4:4; 1John 5:19

Jesus made it clear to us that the time God gave Satan and his agents to rule over mankind has not completed! Luke 21:24

So Christians were commanded by Jesus to continue praying for God's kingdom because that is where we will get a relief but in this system of things where Satan and his agents are ruling faithful servants of God will have to bear the tribulations! John 16:33

Politics 'll continue to make worshipers hate and kill one another yet claiming they believe the same God {Revelation 6:3-4} while true Christians should have love among ourselves {John 13:34-35} so if you are into politics know today that the love of Christ can never ever be in you because you must fight for your nation just as your fellow worshipers in other lands will do which means when your rulers are enemies you will become enemy of your fellow worshipers.
God forbid!
Christ is our king so we must obey him even if it means the whole world hate us.
Of course i'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses can you tell me the name of your own church?🙂

OctavianAC:
Your fellowship misinterpreted that portion of the Bible with just its literally meaning.
Has the Church not interpreted the Bible and had been using it before that 1979 when Charles Taze Russell founded the Jehovah's Witnesses? Or Deos it means that all the apostles who in their Epistles urge us to co-operate with the government go tell hell?

OctavianAC:
That scripture is not talking about a physical woman but a symbolic character or attitude of some Christians.

Galatians 3:28
[28]There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

What made you think a woman cannot lead the church? If no, why then did God set Deborah as a Judge over God people? Were there no men, then?

OctavianAC:
You can't separate religion from politics.

MaxInDHouse:
We cooperate with the authorities by paying them their dues and taxes {Romans 13:1-4} but when they issue orders that's against what Jesus commanded us then we must obey God as our ruler instead of man! Act 5:29

Jesus commanded us to love our fellow believers the same way he love us {John 13:34-35} that means whatever is coming to kill my fellow believers should pass through me first that's the love Jesus has for his disciples! John 15:13

So if any human authority demands that i should pick up weapons in their support to go and kill my fellow believers in Christ then i will say NO!🙂

MaxInDHouse:
We cooperate with the authorities by paying them their dues and taxes {Romans 13:1-4} but when they issue orders that's against what Jesus commanded us then we must obey God as our ruler instead of man! Act 5:29

Jesus commanded us to love our fellow believers the same way he love us {John 13:34-35} that means whatever is coming to kill my fellow believers should pass through me first that's the love Jesus has for his disciples! John 15:13

So if any human authority demands that i should pick up weapons in their support to go and kill my fellow believers in Christ then i will say NO!🙂

Christistruth03:
Exactly
The Church of England is under the influence of that Spirit


A Bishop is a Father role and women don’t do Fatherhood

Deborah was a Prophetess



Women can be Evangelists of Prophetesses but not a bishop

All of Jesus disciples were men and except for Judas they all Became Apostles and Bishops

KomonSense:
Anglican Church wey don kpai long ago

Catholic Church remains one and only the main true church of the christians all over the world.

Others are counterfeit

MaxInDHouse:
So just as first century disciples of Christ were imprisoned and brutalized in Bible times true Christians are still facing the same treatment today.
Don't be deceived by the fightings and killings that's ongoing due to difference in choice of rulers true Christians in Bible times don't support any side in politics that's why they were persecuted and the same is happening today!

OctavianAC:
You are not of the world 🌎 means, you shouldn't be part of worldly things like too much fashion, over drinking, et cetera.

Remember you are the light of the world. How do shine if you continue to allow those in darkness to rule over you.

[b] That is why the Bible urge us to pray for the government and those in government and be in politics if possible?

I hope you are not are JW?

1 Timothy 2:1-4
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Proverbs 11:14.
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Romans 13:1 ESV
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Proverbs 21:1
The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

1 Timothy 2:1-2
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Jeremiah 29:7
But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

Psalm 22:28 ESV
For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

1 Peter 2:13-17
Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Titus 3:1-2
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Job 12:23-25
He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away. He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a trackless waste. They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.

1 Peter 2:17 ESV
Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

1 Peter 2:13-14
Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

Titus 3:1
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.

1 Timothy 2:1-3
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,

MaxInDHouse:
Being no part of the world has nothing to do with fashion and drinking o it simply means no part of the world's political system.

In the Bible the tree of knowledge of good and evil means politics as in we shouldn't think of ruling over our fellow human because when it comes to setting standards regarding good and bad only God knows! Genesis 2:17

That is why God told Abraham to leave his people and start the lineage of true religion which has nothing to do with worldly politics.

Note that pagan Kings were the only ones ruling over the world throughout the history of mankind while God is protecting Israel from attacks as these pagan rulers wants to dominate all the nations God kept defending Israel until the Israelites themselves turned against God.

In fact when they demanded for a king Samuel told them that it's the worstest thing they are demanding {1Samuel 8:10-18} because God only reserved the rulership of the earth for just one man Jesus Christ! Isaiah 9:6; Daniel 2:44

So till that time God permits humans to continue dominating themselves. This understanding eludes the Israelites even during Jesus' time faithful servants of God were agitating claiming it's wrong for Christ to allow pagans to continue ruling the world because it'll affect faithful servants of God since Satan is in charge of the world's government! John 14:30; 2Corinthians 4:4; 1John 5:19

Jesus made it clear to us that the time God gave Satan and his agents to rule over mankind has not completed! Luke 21:24

So Christians were commanded by Jesus to continue praying for God's kingdom because that is where we will get a relief but in this system of things where Satan and his agents are ruling faithful servants of God will have to bear the tribulations! John 16:33

Politics 'll continue to make worshipers hate and kill one another yet claiming they believe the same God {Revelation 6:3-4} while true Christians should have love among ourselves {John 13:34-35} so if you are into politics know today that the love of Christ can never ever be in you because you must fight for your nation just as your fellow worshipers in other lands will do which means when your rulers are enemies you will become enemy of your fellow worshipers.
God forbid!
Christ is our king so we must obey him even if it means the whole world hate us.
Of course i'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses can you tell me the name of your own church?🙂

OctavianAC:
If you think you know the scriptures better than those who compiled it and were using it for centuries before you found it, then your sons must surely tell you that they know it better than you. This is why you often have a lot of splitter groups within a splitter. Jesus said abide in me and I will abide in you. I pray that they (you) may be one. John 17:22. Go back to your root and let Jesus's prayer for you and his churchto be one, work. You can help Jesus and make his church to be one by going back to your root.

Arostar2023:
He is a JW member. Don't waste your time arguing with him, just pray for him. You can give him all the Bible verses in the world and he will still stick to what they were taught in their assembly. That's why JW is considered as a cult by many.

MaxInDHouse:
Guy Jesus established true Christianity (the tree of faith) which the apostles are branches {John 15:5} but somehow Satan got his own agents into the fold {Matthew 13:25} Jesus allowed them to grow with his real disciples but said he will separate the good seed and the weeds during the end time! Matthew 13:30

The end time began in the 1870s when a group of researchers discovered took the Bible and started studying it to know where Christianity went off track that's what brought Charles Taze Russell and his colleagues together and they began discovering many hidden things.

Jesus promised to return when Christianity has gone off course but said there will be a group that will help faithful people regain insight! Luke 18:8

Gradually Russell and his colleagues were getting things right till his death in the year 1916 but the research didn't end there as his colleagues continue to make progress in their Bible study until God gave this organization a new group name after they met up with all the requirements expected of disciples of Christ in the year 1931 they began bearing the name JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES! Isaiah 65:15

So don't be surprised that you are seeing the one and only true Christian organization that's performing today but totally different from all the religions you know bearing the name "CHRISTIANS" the name God intended to give all his worshipers fro.m Abel till today is JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES. Isaiah 43:10