The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has formally declared its spiritual independence from the Church of England following the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
In a statement issued by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, the Church described the announcement made on Friday, October 3, 2025, as “devastating” and “insensitive.”
According to the statement, the decision represents a “double jeopardy” for the faith: “First, it disregards the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who cannot accept female headship in the episcopate; and second, it is deeply troubling that Bishop Sarah Mullally is a strong supporter of same-s+x marriage.”
The Church recalled Bishop Mullally’s 2023 remarks after the Church of England approved blessings for same-s+x couples, when she described the move as “a moment of hope.” The Nigerian Church said such views further d+mage efforts to preserve unity within the Anglican Communion.
“It remains unclear how someone who upholds same-s+x marriage can hope to heal the already fractured fabric of the Communion,” the statement added, describing the situation as evidence that global Anglicanism could no longer accept the moral and spiritual leadership of the Church of England.
Reaffirming its alignment with the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), the Church of Nigeria said it would continue to uphold biblical authority, the historic creeds, evangelism, and holy living—“irrespective of the ongoing revisionist agenda.”
The statement concluded with a call for conservative Anglicans in England and beyond to stand firm in defending scriptural truth.
“We encourage all faithful brothers and sisters in the Church of England who have resisted the aberration called same-s+x marriage to continue contending for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3),” the Church said.
