The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has severed spiritual ties with the Church of England following the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Nigerian Church described Mullally’s elevation the first woman to hold the position and her support for same-sex marriage as evidence of a deepening moral crisis within the Anglican Communion.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its Primate, the Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, the Church said the announcement, made on October 3, 2025, was both “devastating” and “insensitive,” accusing the Church of England of disregarding the longstanding divisions within the global Anglican family.
“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 even more troubling that Bishop Sarah Mullally is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage,” the statement read.
Recalling Mullally’s 2023 remarks in which she described the Church of England’s approval of same-sex blessings as “a moment of hope,” the Nigerian Church said her appointment further alienates traditional believers.
“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 debate that has caused enormous crisis across the Communion for over two decades,” the Church added.
Declaring that the Church of England no longer represents the moral or doctrinal leadership of global Anglicanism, the Church of Nigeria reaffirmed its allegiance to the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) movement.
“As a member of the GAFCON family, the Church of Nigeria affirms its commitment to uphold the authority of Scripture, the historic creeds, evangelism, and holy Christian living, regardless of the ongoing revisionist agenda,” the statement said.
The Church further urged conservative Anglicans within England and other provinces to remain steadfast in defending biblical truth and rejecting teachings that, in its view, undermine the Christian faith.
“We encourage all faithful brothers and sisters in the Church of England who continue to resist the aberration called same-sex marriage and other ungodly teachings to stand firm in contending for the faith once delivered to the saints,” the statement concluded