Traditional Anglican churches have announced the formation of a new leadership structure that directly challenges the established authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury, according to announcements made Thursday during a conference in Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja.
The newly formed governing body will include bishops, clergy members, and laypeople, all holding equal voting rights in decision-making processes. Rwandan Archbishop Laurent Mbanda received unanimous selection to chair this council, though organizers emphasized he will operate within a shared power structure rather than as a singular leader.
Bishop Paul Donison addressed the gathering, explaining the rationale behind the organizational shift. “Believing 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,” Donison stated.
“I am also pleased to announce that Archbishop Laurent Mbanda was unanimously elected chairman of the Global Anglican Council,” Donison added during his remarks to attendees.
The Global Anglican Future Conference, known as GAFCON, represents traditional churches primarily located across Africa and Asia. The organization maintains it now speaks for the majority of Anglican believers worldwide.
These churches have expressed strong opposition to progressive developments within certain parts of the Anglican Communion, particularly regarding women’s ordination and expanded acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals. The group voiced sharp criticism following the Church of England’s historic decision last October to appoint Sarah Mullally as its first female Archbishop of Canterbury.
