The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has officially cut spiritual ties with the Church of England, following the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Nigerian Church condemned the appointment, describing it as a clear sign of “moral decline” within the global Anglican leadership.
It said Mullally’s long-standing support for same-sex marriage and her position as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury were unacceptable to the majority of Anglicans worldwide.
In a statement signed by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, the church described the October 3, 2025 announcement as “devastating and insensitive.”
The statement accused the Church of England of ignoring deep divisions already threatening the global Anglican community.
“This election is a double jeopardy,” the statement said. “First, it disregards the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who reject female headship in the episcopate. Second, Bishop Sarah Mullally is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage.”
The church recalled Mullally’s 2023 comments after the Church of England voted to bless same-sex couples. At that time, she called the move “a moment of hope” for the Church a remark the Nigerian leadership described as deeply troubling.
According to the statement, Mullally’s views have further weakened unity within the Anglican Communion, which has struggled for over two decades with divisions over LGBTQ+ inclusion.
“It remains to be seen how someone who supports same-sex marriage can hope to heal a Communion already torn apart by that same issue,” the Church of Nigeria said.
Declaring that the Church of England had lost its moral authority, the Nigerian Church reaffirmed its allegiance to the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), a conservative Anglican movement that upholds traditional biblical doctrine.
“As members of the GAFCON family, we reaffirm our commitment to the authority of the Scriptures, historic creeds, evangelism, and holy Christian living—regardless of the ongoing revisionist agenda,” the statement read.
The Nigerian Church urged conservative Anglicans in the United Kingdom and across the world to stay firm in defending biblical truth and resisting what it called “ungodly teachings.”
“We encourage our brothers and sisters in the Church of England who have rejected same-sex marriage to continue contending for the faith once delivered to the saints,” the statement concluded.
The announcement marks one of the most significant breaks in modern Anglican history, signaling a deep and possibly permanent divide between the conservative African branch and its Western counterpart over sexuality and doctrine.