Conservative Anglican leaders meeting in Abuja, Nigeria have stepped back from plans to appoint a rival global leader to the Anglican Communion, instead announcing a new governing council to represent their movement within the worldwide church. The gathering was organized by Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), a coalition of conservative Anglican churches largely based in Africa, Asia and parts of the Americas. Earlier proposals suggested the group might elect an alternative “primus inter pares” — Latin for “first among equals,” the traditional description of the role held by the Archbishop of Canterbury as the symbolic leader of the global Anglican community.
However, the group ultimately abandoned that idea, which many observers said would have been viewed as a direct challenge to Sarah Mullally, who is due to be formally installed as Archbishop of Canterbury later this month at Canterbury Cathedral in the United Kingdom. Instead, GAFCON unveiled a new leadership structure called the Global Anglican Council, chaired by Laurent Mbanda, the Archbishop of Rwanda. The council will coordinate the movement’s global activities and represent conservative Anglican churches that say they want to preserve traditional interpretations of Christian doctrine. Speaking to journalists after the announcement, GAFCON spokesperson Venerable Canon Justin Murff said the council recognises Archbishop Mbanda as its leader while acknowledging Mullally as the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The decision comes amid deep divisions within the global Anglican Church over theology, leadership and social issues. Conservative members, particularly in Africa where most Anglicans now live, have long disagreed with positions taken by the Church of England on matters such as same-sex unions and church governance. Murff insisted the disagreement was primarily about doctrine rather than gender. However, many conservative churches also oppose the ordination of women as bishops, arguing that biblical teachings support male-only episcopal leadership. The Anglican Communion includes roughly 95 million members worldwide, with about two-thirds living in Africa. While several African provinces support conservative views, others have accepted reforms, and at least six female bishops currently serve on the continent. Observers say the creation of the new council reflects ongoing tensions within global Anglicanism but stops short of a formal break with Canterbury.
