Global conservative Anglican body nixes plan to create rival to archbishop of Canterbury
A global body of theologically conservative Anglicans has nixed a plan to create a “first among equals” leader who would rival the Anglican Communion’s archbishop of Canterbury.
The Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON), which was launched in 2008, held the first official gathering of the Global Anglican Communion last week in Abuja, Nigeria.
In a communique issued last Thursday, GAFCON announced that GAC would be led by a group of clergy and lay leaders known as the Global Anglican Council rather than a “primus inter pares,” or “first among equals.”
The Right Rev. Paul Donison stated that the “expanded Council reflects the willingness of the Primates to share their authority with a wider group of global Anglican leaders, both lay and clergy.”
“While the Chairman of the Council will be a Primate, he will not be primus inter pares,” said Donison. “Believing that the current Instruments of Communion no longer meet the needs of the majority of Anglicans around the world, the Global Anglican Communion is to be led by a conciliar structure.”
Archbishop Laurent Mbanda was unanimously elected council chairman, Donison said. Archbishop Miguel Uchoa was unanimously elected vice chairman, while Donison himself was elected general secretary.
The terms of the three leaders will end at the close of GAFCON V, scheduled to meet in Athens, Greece, in 2028. Additionally, primates who retire between GAFCON Assemblies can remain on the council until the conclusion of the following GAFCON Assembly.
GAFCON was launched in 2008 at a gathering held in Jerusalem in response to the debate within the Anglican Communion over same-sex marriage and homosexuality. It is composed of theological conservatives, especially from African nations.
Last October, in response to the appointment of London Bishop Sarah Mullally as the first female archbishop of Canterbury, GAFCON announced the launch of the Global Anglican Communion, which sought to “re-order” the Anglican Communion and refused to acknowledge the spiritual leadership of Canterbury.
Going into last week’s gathering, it appeared that GAC was going to have its own first among equals leader, who would effectively rival Mullally, who is scheduled to be formally installed on March 25.
Mullally was already invested with the legal functions of the archbishop’s office at a Confirmation of Election service that was held in January at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
