By Erewunmi Peace

The global Anglican Communion is facing a major crisis after the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) formally rejected the appointment of Archbishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, declaring a move toward spiritual independence from the Church of England.

The Church of Nigeria’s leadership condemned the appointment, stating it confirms the impossibility of continuing under the leadership of the See of Canterbury due to an irreversible departure from orthodox doctrine.

“Double Jeopardy” in Leadership
In a decisive statement, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, described the appointment of Archbishop Mullally as a “double jeopardy,” citing two major theological objections:

Support for Same-Sex Blessings: This is the primary theological conflict. The Church of Nigeria views Archbishop Mullally’s public support for same-sex blessings as a fundamental error. The Primate pointed to her 2023 remarks, where she called the Church of England’s vote to approve blessings for same-sex couples a “moment of hope,” accusing her of being “complicit in introducing practices and beliefs that violate… Scripture.”

Rejection of Female Headship: The Church of Nigeria also stated that the elevation of the first female Archbishop of Canterbury disregards the conviction of the majority of Anglicans globally who do not accept female headship in the episcopate.

Formalizing a Decades-Long Split
The statement from Nigeria is the latest and most decisive action in a theological rift that has plagued the Anglican Communion for over two decades, primarily over issues of sexuality and biblical authority.

The Church of Nigeria is a key member of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), a conservative group of Anglican provinces that has long been critical of the liberal trajectory of Western churches.

The latest move formalizes an existing “impaired communion.” GAFCON leaders, including the Church of Nigeria, had already stated in the 2023 Kigali Commitment that they would “no longer recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury as an Instrument of Communion.”

The appointment of Archbishop Mullally is now seen as the final proof that the conservative churches must proceed with their own leadership structure.
The Nigerian Primate urged faithful Anglicans worldwide to remain steadfast in defending biblical truth against teachings that compromise the Christian faith, effectively establishing a broken relationship with the central authority of the Church of England.