Archbishop of Canterbury no longer recognised as ‘first among equals’ by Anglican leaders

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rt Hon & Most Revd Justin Welby (CREDIT: TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS)

The Archbishop of Canterbury is “no longer recognised” by a group of Anglican leaders as “first among equals” from around the world following the vote on same-sex blessings. 

The Telegraph revealed how the Church of England is facing the break-up of the Anglican Communion^[1] following its vote on same-sex blessings.

On Monday morning, the conservative Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA), which represents churches on every continent and claims to speak for the majority of Anglicans worldwide, confirmed the announcement in a press statement “with great sorrow”. 

The statement read: “The GSFA is no longer able to recognise the present Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rt Hon & Most Revd Justin Welby, as the “first among equals” Leader of the global Communion.

“We pray that our withdrawal of support for him to lead the whole Communion is received by him as an admonishment in love.”

The statement comes following the vote at General Synod, the Church of England’s legislative body, earlier this month, to allow blessings for gay or lesbian couples^[2] who have already been married or had a civil partnership.  

The result angered both progressives who claim that it does not go far enough to offer full equality because the church still prohibits same-sex marriages^[3], and conservatives who claim that Holy Matrimony should only be between a man and a woman.

The GSFA statement continued: “As the Church of England has departed from the historic faith passed down from the Apostles by this innovation in the liturgies of the Church and her pastoral practice (contravening her own Canon A5), she has disqualified herself from leading the Communion as the historic “Mother” Church.”

It concluded that by approving blessings for same-sex couples, it “does not allow us to be “in communion” with those provinces that have departed from the historic faith and taken the path of false teaching”. A decision which, it claims, “breaks our hearts”, because “we do not accept the view that we can still “walk together” with the revisionist provinces”.

The statement is endorsed by ten Primates, including: Archbishop Justin Badi, Primate of South Sudan & Chair of GSFA, Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba, Primate of Uganda, and Archbishop Ezekiel Kondo, Primate of Sudan.

It is understood that more Primates from around the world will endorse the statement. 

Lambeth Palace has been contacted for comment.

References

1. ^{^} Church of England is facing the break-up of the Anglican Communion (www.telegraph.co.uk)
2. ^{^} allow blessings for gay or lesbian couples (www.telegraph.co.uk)
3. ^{^} the church still prohibits same-sex marriages (www.telegraph.co.uk)