International traditional Anglican officials sever relations with Canterbury Archbishop

A seismic shift has occurred within the Anglican Communion, as global Orthodox Anglican leaders have formally unveiled a major restructuring effort, effectively distancing themselves from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the UK-based "Instruments of Communion".

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This move marks the culmination of long-standing disputes over doctrinal issues, including same-sex relationships and the ordination of women to the episcopate, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

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Conservative churches across Africa, Asia, and South America are now seeking to reclaim what they describe as the original structure and biblical doctrine of Anglicanism, following a resolution issued on Friday in Abuja.

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The resolution was announced at the conclusion of the Global Anglican Council meeting, which took place from March 3 to March 6 and brought together 347 bishops along with 121 lay and clerical leaders representing 27 provinces from around the globe.

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The historic gathering marked the official inauguration of the Global Anglican Communion as a confessional body, separate from the institutional structures led by Canterbury, according to the statement.

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The council, now led by the newly elected Chair, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, declared that the "Canterbury Instruments" have failed to uphold essential biblical discipline, specifically accusing the Church of England's leadership of "cultural capitulation" and normalising teachings that contradict the authority of the Holy Scripture.

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The statement further asserted that the moral and spiritual authority of the Seat of Augustine has been severely compromised, prompting the council to argue that continuing participation in Canterbury-led meetings would give credence to the "lie" that it is possible to maintain unity with those who have abandoned biblical teaching.

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As part of the landmark resolutions, leaders holding office in the new Global Anglican Communion are now strictly prohibited from attending any future Primates' Meetings called by the UK, as well as the Lambeth Conference and the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC).

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Member provinces have been directed to cease all financial contributions to the ACC and to refuse any financial assistance from what they termed "compromised sources", according to the statement.

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The council encouraged provinces to amend their individual constitutions to remove references to being "in communion with the See of Canterbury", in a move to ensure legal autonomy.

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The council affirmed the Jerusalem Declaration as the sole confession of faith required for membership, effectively shifting the definition of Anglicanism from institutional to confessional.

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A significant administrative shift was also announced, with the "Gafcon Primates Council" being officially replaced by the Global Anglican Council, which will now serve as the primary authority for authenticating new provinces and guarding the theological integrity of Global Anglicans worldwide.

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The council announced its inaugural executive team, with Archbishop Laurent Mbanda as Chair, supported by Deputy Chair, Archbishop Miguel Uchôa, and General Secretary, Bishop Paul Donison.

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Despite the sharp departure, the council maintained that it should not be viewed as a "breakaway" group, but rather as the "historic Anglican Communion reordered from within", and called on all faithful Anglicans to join the new structure.

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The statement emphasized that Christian unity must be based on truth rather than mere institutional coexistence, and the Church of Nigeria, led by Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, has already formally severed ties with the Church of England, citing the current leadership direction as "insensitive and devastating" to the orthodox faith.