All articles tagged with #anglican communion
Pope Leo XIV sends a blessing-filled message to Archbishop Sarah Mullally on her Canterbury installation, urging Catholic–Anglican dialogue "in truth and love" and recalling ARCIC’s work, the 1966 Paul VI–Ramsey encounter, and the ongoing push for unity despite disagreements; the Canterbury service also highlighted the movement’s 60-year ecumenical witness.
Sarah Mullally was formally installed as the Church of England's first female archbishop of Canterbury, marking the symbolic start of her ministry after taking the role in January. Wearing a golden mitre and seated on the Chair of St Augustine, she addressed safeguarding failings, called for truth and justice, and will serve as spiritual head of the 85-million-strong global Anglican Communion; the ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral drew about 2,000 guests, including Prince William, Kate, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, amid ongoing tensions between progressive and conservative wings of Anglicanism.
Sarah Mullally, a former cancer nurse who trained as a priest at 40, was installed as Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the Church of England’s first woman leader. The ceremony on the Feast of the Annunciation marks the start of her public ministry as head of the church and its global Anglican Communion, with attendees including Prince William, Princess Catherine and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Mullally faces a challenging tenure amid ongoing debates over women’s and LGBTQ+ roles and past abuse scandals, taking over after Justin Welby’s 2024 resignation. She honors her nursing past by wearing a ceremonial cloak whose buckle comes from the belt she wore as a nurse, and she says her aim is to shepherd and enable every ministry to flourish.
At a March 5, 2026 GAFCON gathering in Abuja, leaders scrapped plans to elect a primus inter pares and announced a shift to a conciliar leadership structure, rebranding the movement as the Global Anglican Council with equal voting rights for bishops, clergy and lay leaders; Archbishop Mbanda was named chair, signaling a broader, non-primus governance approach intended to avoid direct confrontation with Canterbury.
Conservative Anglicans in Abuja pulled back from electing a rival primus inter pares to the Archbishop of Canterbury and instead unveiled a new leadership council led by Rwanda’s Laurent Mbanda, while affirming Sarah Mullally as Canterbury. They frame their stance as doctrinal, not about gender or sexuality, criticizing Mullally’s support for same-sex unions. The move widens the split with the Church of England and creates a parallel leadership; Gafcon will not attend a forthcoming Anglican Communion conference in Belfast, and relations with the Church of England remain unclear, with some dialogue possible with the GSFA.
An Anglican priest interrupted the Confirmation of Election service for Dame Sarah Mullally, the Church of England’s first female archbishop of Canterbury, shouting “I object!” Williamson, who opposes women’s ordination, linked his protest to Mullally’s alleged false allegations about a late clergyman; Mullally’s installation is scheduled for March 25 amid ongoing tensions within the Anglican Communion over gender and sexuality.
The article discusses the upcoming challenges for the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, including ongoing debates over same-sex blessings, divisions within the Anglican Communion, and the church's efforts to rebuild trust after abuse scandals, highlighting a period of turbulence and potential change for the Church of England.
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, issues a pastoral letter emphasizing unity, faithfulness, and ongoing reform within the church amidst recent statements by GAFCON, urging dialogue, prayer, and mutual submission to maintain the church's shared vocation.
The global Anglican Church is experiencing a major schism, with GAFCON breaking away from the traditional Anglican Communion over issues like biblical authority, gender roles, and LGBTQ inclusion, forming a new body that rejects the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury, reflecting deep theological and cultural divisions.
GAFCON has declared a reordering of the Anglican Communion, emphasizing adherence to the Bible as the sole foundation and rejecting the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury and other traditional instruments of communion, asserting that they are now leading the global Anglican community based on their interpretation of scripture.
Sarah Mullally has been appointed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, a move that has sparked mixed reactions within the global Anglican community, with conservative factions expressing disappointment over her support for progressive positions on marriage and sexuality, potentially deepening existing fractures in the fragile Anglican Communion.
Sarah Mullally's appointment as the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury has been met with mixed reactions, with conservative Gafcon group expressing sorrow and concern over her support for same-sex blessings, highlighting ongoing divisions within the global Anglican community over gender and sexual morality issues.
The Anglican Communion is considering restructuring its leadership by introducing a rotating global figurehead to prevent divisions over LGBTQ+ rights and other issues, which threaten to split the church. This proposal aims to diversify leadership and adapt to modern challenges, amid ongoing tensions between progressive and traditional factions within the church.
The Church of England's governing body will debate fresh commitments on homosexuality and same-sex couples, acknowledging "profound disagreement" on the matter. While the church does not allow same-sex marriage, it has been working to make the LGBTQ community feel more included and has apologized for past hostility. The upcoming Synod meeting will address these issues, as well as racial justice and the church's response to historic transatlantic slavery.
The Most Rev. Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, visited Rome for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, participating in an Anglican Eucharist at a Catholic basilica and being commissioned by Pope Francis to witness Christian unity alongside Catholic bishops. The joint commissioning of Anglican and Catholic bishops sparked discussion about the Catholic Church's stance on Anglican orders and the potential for change. Additionally, Anglican choral evensong was celebrated at St. Peter's Basilica, emphasizing the shared tradition of prayer between Catholics and Anglicans.