Orthodox Anglicans create new communion renouncing ties to archbishop of Canterbury

Michie · Friday at 5:46 PM

The GAFCON movement of orthodox Anglicans is forging its own path away from the leadership of the archbishop of Canterbury with the launch of the Global Anglican Communion.

It will be distinct from the worldwide Anglican Communion that is under the spiritual leadership of the archbishop of Canterbury and which recognises other Institutes of Communion like the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and the Primates' Meeting of senior archbishops.

Unveiling its plans on Thursday, GAFCON said its intention is to "reorder" the Anglican Communion with only the Bible as its foundation. It will not recognize the archbishop of Canterbury or other Institutes of Communion.

Continued below.

Orthodox Anglicans create new communion renouncing ties to archbishop of Canterbury

The GAFCON movement of orthodox Anglicans is forging its own path away from the leadership of the archbishop of Canterbury with the launch of the Global Anglican Communion

www.christianpost.com

chevyontheriver · Friday at 10:44 PM

Michie said:
The GAFCON movement of orthodox Anglicans is forging its own path away from the leadership of the archbishop of Canterbury with the launch of the Global Anglican Communion.

It will be distinct from the worldwide Anglican Communion that is under the spiritual leadership of the archbishop of Canterbury and which recognises other Institutes of Communion like the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and the Primates' Meeting of senior archbishops.

Unveiling its plans on Thursday, GAFCON said its intention is to "reorder" the Anglican Communion with only the Bible as its foundation. It will not recognize the archbishop of Canterbury or other Institutes of Communion.

Continued below.

Orthodox Anglicans create new communion renouncing ties to archbishop of Canterbury

The GAFCON movement of orthodox Anglicans is forging its own path away from the leadership of the archbishop of Canterbury with the launch of the Global Anglican Communion

www.christianpost.com

Good for them. While the Catholic Church officially congratulated the new ABC, believing Anglicans are severing ties with their establishment. GAFCON are the folks we Catholics should be reaching out to. Forty years ago ecumenical outreach to the Archbishop of Canterbury made sense, but that was when they were vastly different than they are now.

PloverWing · Friday at 10:48 PM

I am sad to see this (and a bit angry, I confess), but GAFCON has been moving this way for a couple of decades. GAFCON's Jerusalem declaration of 2008 proposed changing the Anglican tradition in ways that made me very uncomfortable (and not because of the gender/sexuality issues), and their 2025 declaration continues down this path. I had hoped we could continue to walk together, but perhaps the divorce was inevitable.

Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe was quoted by Episcopal News Service as saying this: "It is always a cause of sorrow when siblings in Christ choose to walk apart, and we grieve that some GAFCON primates have chosen to remove themselves from the Anglican Communion. We pray for their participation in God’s mission in their contexts."

ENS article: GAFCON says its members will leave Anglican Communion to form rival network

GAFCON statement: The Future Has Arrived - GAFCON: Global Anglicans

RamiC · 2025-10-18T03:35:29-0500

No, the "Global South" Has Not Left the Anglican Communion - No, the "Global South" Has Not Left the Anglican Communion

"That is, Archbishop Mbanda seems to have claimed a sort of primatial authority that must have a few of his supposed allies reaching for Article XXXVII, now perhaps updated to read "the Archbishop of Rwanda hath no authority in this realm of X." Even if this new statement really represents the views of the whole Gafcon primates' group, those primates do not have the power, singly or collectively, to decree any of this for those dioceses or provinces who have participated in Gafcon meetings.

Of these, quite a few African provinces have ordained women even as bishops. So far there have been women bishops in Kenya, South Sudan, and Angola, as well as the more Canterbury-friendly southern African dioceses of Lesotho (a bishop now going to Pretoria) and Eswatini. The Gafcon leadership is unhappy about this and is using the current situation to "double down."

stevevw · 2025-10-18T06:32:43-0500

I believe there will be a reconciliation between the Catholics and the Anglicans. Not in all quarters but a growing communion. It is only natural in these modern times when the church is being persecuted more.

This sorts out all the differences and it all comes back to the fundemental core beliefs the church of Christ has always had from the beginning. And when Christians get back to those basic truths they become one mind and spirit no matter what denomination.

We are also seeing a growing number of men coming back into the church. These are good signs. But they are also signs that Christs church is readying itself for the coming times when it will be persecuted and bold Christians will be needed to stand up for Christ and proclaim His truth.

BungalowBel · 2025-10-18T09:30:20-0500

I belong to a church that is part of AMiE (Anglican Mission in England), under the umbrella of GAFCON. Although our church has never been Cof E , most AMiE churches have at some point disassociated themselves from the CofE (which of course is the major expression of Anglicanism in England).

I am pleased with this announcement. A female, woke Archbishop of Canterbury and a female Archbishop of Wales who is in a same-sex relationship I think have been the final straw to this apostate church.

Home - Anglican Mission in England

The Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) is a Bible-hearted diocese committed to starting and strengthening churches for the salvation of many and the glory of God. About us our churches We have a network of churches across the country committed to gospel mission. Press Release: New Diocesan...

www.anglicanmissioninengland.org

chevyontheriver · 2025-10-18T10:11:45-0500

stevevw said:
I believe there will be a reconciliation between the Catholics and the Anglicans. Not in all quarters but a growing communion. It is only natural in these modern times when the church is being persecuted more.

This sorts out all the differences and it all comes back to the fundemental core beliefs the church of Christ has always had from the beginning. And when Christians get back to those basic truths they become one mind and spirit no matter what denomination.

We are also seeing a growing number of men coming back into the church. These are good signs. But they are also signs that Christs church is readying itself for the coming times when it will be persecuted and bold Christians will be needed to stand up for Christ and proclaim His truth.

OTOH I think that most Anglicans prone to unite with the Catholics have already done so within the Anglican Ordinariate. I think most who consider the new developments at Canterbury to be just too far are seeing it as a confirmation of them already having left. So I see no massive sudden exflow from the COE over this and no sudden increase in the Ordinariate. Anything like that was already finished years ago. Maybe tiny exflows and maybe tiny increases in the Ordinariate. Maybe a few COE members who will reorient and join a GAFCON congregation in England or Wales.

There were some real heady days way back 40 years ago between Catholics and Anglicans. There was a lot of agreement. There was talk of intercommunion, and I even expected it could happen. But things changed. Lots of water has flown down the Thames and down the river Stou since then.

For now Catholics should refocus on GAFCON, and maybe something positive can be salvaged from the old ARCIC dialogues from 40 years ago, which would be more in tune with the GAFCON guys anyhow. It would be an uphill slog but maybe really worth it.

seeking.IAM · 2025-10-18T11:19:38-0500

PloverWing said:
I am sad to see this (and a bit angry, I confess), but GAFCON has been moving this way for a couple of decades.

I confess it bothers me very little as GAFCON has gone its own way for a couple of decades. It changes nothing for me as an Episcopalian Anglican. If I have any disappointment in GAFCON's exit, it is only regret as another instance of lack of fellowship, charity, and tolerance among Christians. I did have a reaction to their statement I found arrogant, "...we have not left the Anglican Communion; we are the Anglican Communion."

RamiC · 2025-10-18T11:33:36-0500

seeking.IAM said:
I did have a reaction to their statement I found arrogant, "...we have not left the Anglican Communion; we are the Anglican Communion."

Perhaps it is a small use of English problem, and should say "we are an Anglican Communion"?

seeking.IAM · 2025-10-18T11:49:28-0500

RamiC said:
Perhaps it is a small use of English problem, and should say "we are an Anglican Communion"?

That would be okay with me. "The" doesn't work.

PloverWing · 2025-10-18T11:52:35-0500

RamiC said:
Perhaps it is a small use of English problem, and should say "we are an Anglican Communion"?

Their "The Future Has Arrived" statement sounds more strident than that to me. I don't think it's a question of an awkward word choice by a non-native speaker. The document is pretty emphatic throughout that they are breaking ties with England and that they, not England, are the true Anglicans.

zippy2006 · 2025-10-18T12:07:35-0500

PloverWing said:
The document is pretty emphatic throughout that they are breaking ties with England and that they, not England, are the true Anglicans.

That claim seems accurate, both historically/theologically and numerically. The living church has parted ways with the dying church.

stevevw · 2025-10-18T12:24:44-0500

chevyontheriver said:
OTOH I think that most Anglicans prone to unite with the Catholics have already done so within the Anglican Ordinariate. I think most who consider the new developments at Canterbury to be just too far are seeing it as a confirmation of them already having left. So I see no massive sudden exflow from the COE over this and no sudden increase in the Ordinariate. Anything like that was already finished years ago. Maybe tiny exflows and maybe tiny increases in the Ordinariate. Maybe a few COE members who will reorient and join a GAFCON congregation in England or Wales.

There were some real heady days way back 40 years ago between Catholics and Anglicans. There was a lot of agreement. There was talk of intercommunion, and I even expected it could happen. But things changed. Lots of water has flown down the Thames and down the river Stou since then.

For now Catholics should refocus on GAFCON, and maybe something positive can be salvaged from the old ARCIC dialogues from 40 years ago, which would be more in tune with the GAFCON guys anyhow. It would be an uphill slog but maybe really worth it.

I could never understand how the church split into so many denominations in the first place. If its suppose to be of one mind and spirit then all Christians should be on the same page.

But when Christianity itself is threatened and as the world closes in on Christian faith and even presecuting Christians this causes Christians to rethink and reprove their faith. Get back to what Christianiy is all about. All the unnecessary differences become insignificant when it becomes a case of life and death. Or whether we stand with Christ or with the world.

In that sense I think anyone from any denomination is able to stand up and be a Christian and put their faith on the line. As more and more do this they will become united in that cause no matter where they are from. Its not necessarily that Anglicans become more Catholic as Catholics need to reprove their faith as well.

It will be more a case that the Anglicans and the Catholics and other denominations will move towards the same spirit of faith within their own churches. That may lead to some changing churches or uniting. But it will be an uprising of Christians where they are and having an influence even on their own church.

We are also generally seeing in society that the falsehoods and deceptions of ideologies that have been allowed to be cultivated are being exposed. Enough time goes by that the unreality or untruths are exposed and people begin to realise the truth.

The choice becomes starker and those opposing God become more explicit. The choice becomes more clear between Christ and the world. Which will preprove many or cause them to reject Christ.

So this is not just a church thing but a culture wide development that has been coming for some time that is also affecting the church. The experiemnet of secularism is failing and is now conflicting with Christs truth. So Christians will have to make a choice and put their faith on the line.

RamiC · 2025-10-18T12:36:19-0500

PloverWing said:
Their "The Future Has Arrived" statement sounds more strident than that to me. I don't think it's a question of an awkward word choice by a non-native speaker. The document is pretty emphatic throughout that they are breaking ties with England and that they, not England, are the true Anglicans.

I always liked being in a church that does not claim to be "the one true church", and they appear to be saying "we are the one true Anglicans". :scratch:

Okay...

Michie · 2025-10-19T09:51:20-0500

All The Rage: GAFCON goes. Division multiplies.

A Treasure To Be Shared, the occasional blog of an Ordinariate Roman Catholic, celebrates the English Patrimony.

atreasuretobeshared.blogspot.com

RamiC · 2025-10-19T10:25:04-0500

Michie said:
All The Rage: GAFCON goes. Division multiplies.

A Treasure To Be Shared, the occasional blog of an Ordinariate Roman Catholic, celebrates the English Patrimony.

atreasuretobeshared.blogspot.com

This is the point of contention, from your link,

"We declare that the Anglican Communion will be reordered, with only one foundation of communion, namely the Holy Bible, “translated, read, preached, taught and obeyed in its plain and canonical sense, respectful of the church’s historic and consensual reading” (Jerusalem Declaration, Article II), which reflects Article VI of the 39 Articles of Religion. (Without an authoritative interpreter, Scripture can be twisted to serve practically any agenda. Survey the wide disparities between GAFCON Anglicans and ACoC Anglicans, for starters.)"

Article VI of the 39 Articles of Religion says this ....

"VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation."

39articles

The part I have left out from Article VI is just the list of which books in the Bible are regarded as cannonical, that can be seen on the link.

There two points made in the Jerusalem Declaration, which are simply not in the Article they reference, those are "with only one foundation of communion, namely the Holy Bible" and "Without an authoritative interpreter".

I do happen to agree that the Bible can be used/abused, but Article VI does not declare the Bible alone as authority, nor specify an "authoritive interpreter" for the Anglican church members.

caffeinated hermit · 2025-10-19T10:34:52-0500

I was saddened and kind of flabbergasted to see a woman heading the Church of England.

Honestly, if there were any nearer to me, I might consider a form of Anglicanism that did not ordain women, if such a thing still exists. Not sure. I used to think the ACNA did not ordain women, but this seems to have changed and, at least in some areas, they now seem to do this.

I'm a woman but, honestly, I feel that female ordination to the priesthood (or the equivalent thereof) is one of those things that just leads to problems and worsening theology down the road. I can't pretend it's ok, "just as good as", or not likely to lead to further sexual and moral confusion eventually.

RileyG · 2025-10-19T11:04:53-0500

PloverWing said:
I am sad to see this (and a bit angry, I confess), but GAFCON has been moving this way for a couple of decades. GAFCON's Jerusalem declaration of 2008 proposed changing the Anglican tradition in ways that made me very uncomfortable (and not because of the gender/sexuality issues), and their 2025 declaration continues down this path. I had hoped we could continue to walk together, but perhaps the divorce was inevitable.

Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe was quoted by Episcopal News Service as saying this: "It is always a cause of sorrow when siblings in Christ choose to walk apart, and we grieve that some GAFCON primates have chosen to remove themselves from the Anglican Communion. We pray for their participation in God’s mission in their contexts."

ENS article: GAFCON says its members will leave Anglican Communion to form rival network

GAFCON statement: The Future Has Arrived - GAFCON: Global Anglicans

Sorry to hear that. God bless you.

RamiC · 2025-10-19T12:29:18-0500

caffeinated hermit said:
I was saddened and kind of flabbergasted to see a woman heading the Church of England.

Honestly, if there were any nearer to me, I might consider a form of Anglicanism that did not ordain women, if such a thing still exists. Not sure. I used to think the ACNA did not ordain women, but this seems to have changed and, at least in some areas, they now seem to do this.

I'm a woman but, honestly, I feel that female ordination to the priesthood (or the equivalent thereof) is one of those things that just leads to problems and worsening theology down the road. I can't pretend it's ok, "just as good as", or not likely to lead to further sexual and moral confusion eventually.

This guy Home - The Bishop of Ebbsfleet presides over any parish churches that want an all-male line of Priests. They are still within the Church of England.

caffeinated hermit · 2025-10-19T12:48:43-0500

RamiC said:
This guy Home - The Bishop of Ebbsfleet presides over any parish churches that want an all-male line of Priests. They are still within the Church of England.

Huh, interesting. Ok, so, the Church of England still has a spiritual head who is female; so all Anglicans enabled by Bishop Munro to have a male priest instead of a female one are still being lead by a woman in a position that Bishop Munro might well personally believe should belong to a man. Granted, that is neat that such an allowance for male-only clergy is there, but I think it would still be a difficult road to walk for complementarian Church of England folks.

Wow... thank you for this information, though. I've also learned there is an "Orthodox Anglican Church" out there, too.

Orthodox Anglicans create new communion renouncing ties to archbishop of Canterbury

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Episcopalian

Well-Known Member

inquisitive

Member

Well-Known Member

A View From The Pew

Well-Known Member

A View From The Pew

Episcopalian

Dragonsworn

inquisitive

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Veteran

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Similar threads