The Anglican Church of Nigeria has formally split from the Church of England after it chose a woman, and someone with a record of supporting LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the church to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
Dame Sarah Mullally will become the first woman in the 500 year history of the Anglican faith to lead the Church of England, and the worldwide Anglican Communion, when she assumes the role in January.
However her appointment has been condemned by conservative Anglicans, particularly in the Global South, who oppose female ordination and the acceptance of same-sex relationships by the church.
Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, blasted the move, calling it “devastating” and “insensitive” to conservative Anglicans.
“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,” Archbishop Ndukuba claimed.
“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.
“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.”
Archbishop’s position on same-sex marriage
Dame Mullally has been married to a man for nearly 40 years, has not performed same-sex marriages since becoming ordained in 2002, and says that she supports the Church of England’s current position on marriage.
The Church of England does not perform marriages for same-sex couples, and its clergy may not marry same-sex partners, though they are allowed to be in same-sex civil partnerships as long as they are celibate.
However she supported the Church of England moving in 2023 to allow blessings for same-sex couples, calling it “a moment of hope” for the church.
As Bishop of London she also supported celebrating LGBT+ History Month and launched an advisory group for the London diocese on “pastoral care and inclusion of LGBT+ people in the life of our church communities.”
A moderate who wants to keep conservatives in the church
She is a self-described feminist who had ordained both male and female clergy, but also stressed the importance of including those with more conservative viewpoints when she became the Bishop of London in 2018.
“I am very respectful of those who, for theological reasons, cannot accept my role as a priest or a bishop,” she told Church Times that year.
“My belief is that Church diversity throughout London should flourish and grow; everybody should be able to find a spiritual home.”
Dame Mullally is also a member of the House of Lords, and played an important role in the coronation of King Charles in her role as Bishop of London.
Earlier this year the Anglican Church of Wales appointed its first female leader, Archbishop Cherry Vann, who is in a civil partnership with another woman.
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Seems SOME in Nigeria are still stick in colonial thinking – as the unchanging ways of God! Forgetting Jesus told us there’s so lunch more to come. Jn 16f . They could do well to open their hearts to the way the Holy Spirit speaks to us today – often not trough religious leaders but modern science – especially the science of genetics
The road to irrelevance…