The Gafcon movement has declared itself to be the true Anglican Communion as it continues its shift away from the historic instruments of communion under the spiritual leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
In the Abuja Affirmation, issued at the end of a weeklong meeting in the Nigerian capital, Gafcon Chair Archbishop Laurent Mbanda said that recent Archbishops of Canterbury "have failed to guard the faith" and that the "moral and spiritual authority of the Seat of Augustine" has been "severely compromised" by their embrace of same-sex blessings.
Elsewhere he said that the Canterbury-led Anglican Communion had "failed to maintain genuine communion" by continuing to promote "false teaching", and that "principled disengagement" was therefore necessary.
The Global Anglican Communion was launched last October in response to this departure from historic Anglican teaching, with Gafcon leaders using the Abuja meeting to further solidify the new communion's structures.
It was announced earlier in proceedings that the Global Anglican Communion would be headed by a "conciliar" Global Anglican Council instead of a primus who would have been seen as a rival to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Archbishop Mbanda was elected Chair of the council, with Archbishop Miguel Uchoa serving as Vice-Chairman and Bishop Paul Donison as General Secretary.
"The Canterbury Instruments have compromised the authority of the Scriptures by normalising hermeneutical pluralism, elevating cultural capitulation, and reframing the rejection of Scripture’s authority and clarity as 'good disagreement', and not what it really is – false teaching," said Archbishop Mbanda.
He went on to say that the Global Anglican Communion should not be viewed as a departure from the Anglican Communion but a reordering "from within".
"The Global Anglican Communion is neither a breakaway Communion nor an alternative Communion," he said.
"The Jerusalem Statement clearly says that 'We cherish our Anglican heritage and the Anglican Communion and have no intention of departing from it'.
"What has occurred instead is a shift of the stewardship of the Anglican Communion from the Canterbury Instruments to the Global Anglican Communion. We are returning the Anglican Communion to its roots.
"The Global Anglican Communion is not a new Communion, but the historic Anglican Communion reordered from within."
The launch of the Global Anglican Communion came just weeks after the appointment of Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. Gafcon was one of the first to denounce her appointment in light of, among other concerns, her support of same-sex blessings.
The Abuja Affirmation states that a "full and public disengagement" from the Canterbury-led structures of communion is "necessary". As such, leaders who hold office in the Global Anglican Communion are not allowed to attend future Primates’ Meetings held by the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Lambeth Conference, a major meeting of bishops from around the Anglican Communion held around once every decade. They are also not to receive financial assistance "from compromised sources".
"Continued participation in these Canterbury-led meetings gives credence to the lie that it is possible to 'walk together despite deep disagreement' with those who have abandoned biblical teaching," the statement reads.
"A separation from the Canterbury Instruments is necessary to demonstrate that such teaching is not of secondary importance. The warning of the prophet Amos rings true: 'Can two walk together unless they are agreed?' (Amos 3:3).
"Office holders in the Global Anglican Communion who continue to participate in any Canterbury Instruments will not be able to continue in this role."
It continues, "Those who disengage from the Canterbury Instruments are not schismatic.
"The Church of England was reformed by Thomas Cranmer, leaving the errors of the Church of Rome behind. Like Cranmer, we are reforming the Communion from within and leaving the Canterbury Instruments behind."
Dame Mullally was formally confirmed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury in January and will be installed on 25 March. She is the first ever woman to hold the position. Like her predecessor, Justin Welby, she is supportive of same-sex blessings.
Lambeth Palace has been contacted for comment.
