Justin Welby is a 'heretic' and a 'wolf in sheep's clothing', according to the conservative Church responsible for consecrating a breakaway bishop in Newcastle outside the authority of the Church of England.
An explosive lecture delivered at the Jesmond Conference for conservative evangelicals earlier this year further reveals the depth of division and distrust as traditionalists plot a splinter Anglican Church in the UK.
Highlighting the level of concern over the CofE's teaching on homosexuality, Bishop Martin Morrison of the conservative breakaway Anglican Church in South Africa that oversaw the consecration of Jesmond's senior minister as a bishop, accused the archbishops of an ancient Christian heresy called Arianism.
'It is quite obvious that the establishment of the Church of England is at the very least heretical,' the conference of church leaders was told. 'They are wolves, they are false teachers, they are hired hands. We get pretty much common agreement on that.'
Describing the Church's debate around transgender people as a 'tidal wave which will engulf us', Morrison went on to advocate 'different ways of opposing the establishment'.
In the February 28 lecture he went on: 'The stakes cannot be higher.'
He added: 'In my opinion the Archbishops of York and Canterbury can no longer be trusted.'
He said the best way would be to consecrate 'irregular bishops' to work in England without the permission of the official Church of England.
'We are not looking for the authority of Canterbury or York. In my opinion you don't ask the wolf if you can look after the sheep,' he said.
Pitting conservative evangelicals as on the right side of a 2,000 year old theological controversy, he said 'ordaining ministers and consecrating bishops without the permission of the local diocesan bishops' was 'a great model' to follow.
Morrison argued the CofE was guilty of the ancient hersey which teaches that Jesus was not fully God because, he said, they thought Jesus was 'wrong' when he quoted Genesis 1:27, which says God created humans as 'male and female'.
'As I understand it here in England there is just no way the system will allow you to depose of evil ministers.
'I think one of the key alternatives is therefore to consecrate valid, legal Anglican bishops. They will be irregular but both legal and valid,' he said.
'I cannot see any other way than consecrating bishops who are orthodox without the authority of the diocesan bishops or [the Archbishops of] York or Canterbury because they cannot be trusted.'
It comes after a document seen by Christian Today reveals extensive plans by conservative evangelicals to form a rival Anglican structure to the Church of England in the UK.
The proposals, born out of concerns about teachings on homosexuality, include suggestions for a new synod, new liturgy, an appointments system for new bishops, new church canons and new statements of belief.
