Ugandan Church, Gafcon Reject First Female Archbishop of Canterbury

Dame Sarah Mullally's appointment as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury has sparked significant controversy within the global Anglican Communion, particularly among conservative Anglican bodies in Africa. The Church of Uganda, led by Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, and the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon), chaired by Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, have publicly rejected her appointment, citing her progressive stance on sexuality, including support for blessings of same-sex couples, as unbiblical and contrary to historic Anglican teachings. These conservative leaders argue that the Church of England's decision represents a departure from Scripture and a further fracturing of the Anglican Communion, with some even stating that Canterbury no longer holds spiritual authority over the global church. While the Church of England and more liberal Anglicans welcome Mullally's leadership and her call for unity and addressing issues such as sexual abuse and antisemitism, the deep theological divisions remain unresolved. Gafcon plans to convene a Global Bishops' Assembly in 2026 to strengthen orthodox Anglican positions in response to these developments. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between liberal and conservative factions over gender roles and sexuality within the worldwide Anglican community.