The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has strongly criticised the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, describing the decision as “devastating” and inconsistent with the current challenges facing the Anglican Communion.
In a statement released on Monday and signed by the Archbishop, Metropolitan, and Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Rev’d Henry C. Ndukuba, the Church expressed deep disappointment over Mullally’s elevation, calling it a “double jeopardy.”
According to PUNCH Online, 63-year-old Mullally was announced on Friday as the Church’s 106th Archbishop of Canterbury — the first woman ever to lead the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion. She succeeds Justin Welby, who stepped down earlier this year following an abuse scandal.
The Church of Nigeria argued that Mullally’s appointment disregards the convictions of many Anglicans who oppose female leadership in the episcopate and further divides the Church due to her open support for same-sex marriage.
“It is a double jeopardy; first, in its insensitivity to the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who are unable to embrace female headship in the episcopate, and second, more disturbing that Bishop Sarah Mullally is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage,” the statement read.
The statement further questioned how Mullally could hope to unify a global Church already strained by disagreements over same-sex marriage — an issue that has caused division within the Communion for over two decades.
“This election is a further confirmation that the global Anglican world could no longer accept the leadership of the Church of England and that of the Archbishop of Canterbury,” the statement added.
Reaffirming its position, the Church of Nigeria declared unwavering allegiance to the GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference) movement, vowing to uphold the authority of Scripture, the historic creeds, evangelism, and holy Christian living, despite what it described as an ongoing “revisionist agenda.”
“We encourage all faithful brothers and sisters in the Church of England who have consistently rejected the aberration called same-sex marriage and other ungodly teachings by contending for the faith that was once delivered to the saints,” the statement concluded.
In response, Mullally — a former nurse ordained as a priest in 2002 and later appointed as the first female Bishop of London in 2018 — acknowledged the “huge responsibility” of her new office but said she feels “peace and trust in God to carry me.”
Mullally’s appointment was confirmed by King Charles III after a lengthy selection process overseen by a former MI5 chief. The Church of England, which became the established state church under King Henry VIII in the 1530s, now counts around 20 million baptised members, though regular attendance hovers below one million, according to 2022 figures.
Women were only permitted to become bishops in the Church of England in 2014 after years of internal division — a move that continues to stir controversy across the global Anglican community.
