Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans

{{Short description|Communion of conservative Anglican churches}} {{Distinguish|Global Anglican Future Conference|Traditional Anglican Church}} {{Infobox Christian denomination | name = Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans | icon = | icon_width = | image = Gafcon-logo-global-anglicans.png | imagewidth = 200px | main_classification = Protestant{{efn|With various theological and doctrinal identities, including Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical}} | orientation = Confessing Anglican | polity = Episcopal | type = Communion | theology = Anglican doctrine | founder = | founded_date = {{Start date and age|2008}} | founded_place = Global Anglican Future Conference, Jerusalem | leader_title1 = Chairman | leader_name1 = Laurent Mbanda | leader_title2 = Vice Chairman | leader_name2 = Miguel Uchôa | leader_title3 = General Secretary | leader_name3 = Paul Donison | headquarters = Sheffield, England | scripture = Protestant Bible | website = [https://www.gafcon.org/ gafcon.org] | footnotes = }} The '''Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans''' (branded as '''GAFCON''' or '''Gafcon''' after the Global Anglican Future Conference) is a communion of conservative Anglican churches aligned with the Confessing Movement that formed in 2008 in response to ongoing theological disputes in the worldwide Anglican Communion.<ref name="Morgan2008">{{cite web |last1=Morgan |first1=Timothy C. |title=Anglicans Birth Global Confessing Movement |url=http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2008/06/gafcon_missteps_1.html |access-date=3 February 2025 |language=English |date=2008}}</ref><ref name="Conger2008">{{cite web |last1=Conger |first1=George |title=Anglican Conservatives Create "Confessing Movement" |url=https://juicyecumenism.com/2008/07/08/anglican-conservatives-create-confessing-movement/ |publisher=Institute on Religion and Democracy |access-date=3 February 2025 |language=English |date=8 July 2008}}</ref> As of 2025, GAFCON claims to represent upwards of 85% of the world's practising Anglicans.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Bumgardner |first=David |date=2025-10-17 |title=A house divided: The Anglican communion's great reset |url=https://baptistnews.com/article/a-house-divided-the-anglican-communions-great-reset/ |access-date=2025-10-17 |website=Baptist News Global |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Wedgeworth |first=Steven |last2= |title=The Global Anglican Communion is here |url=https://wng.org/opinions/the-global-anglican-communion-is-here-1760847104 |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=WORLD |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last= |title=Anglicans reject archbishop of Canterbury for supporting same-sex union blessings |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254165/anglicans-in-africa-reject-archbishop-of-canterbury-for-support-of-same-sex-union-blessings |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en}}</ref> Peer-reviewed research from 2015 and 2016 indicates that the GAFCON-aligned provinces represent closer to 45% of practising Anglicans and just over 54% of members baptised in any of the provinces of the Anglican Communion.<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last=Muñoz |first=Daniel |date=May 2016 |title=North to South: A Reappraisal of Anglican Communion Membership Figures |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-anglican-studies/article/abs/north-to-south-a-reappraisal-of-anglican-communion-membership-figures/2DE9B1D5B85A164090A393735AACA1FB |journal=Journal of Anglican Studies |language=en |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=71–95 |doi=10.1017/S1740355315000212 |issn=1740-3553}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Gledhill |first=Ruth |date=2015-11-12 |title=Anglican membership figures could be out by millions |url=https://www.christiantoday.com/news/anglican-membership-figures-could-be-out-by-millions |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=www.christiantoday.com |language=en}}</ref>

Confessing Anglicans met in 2008 at the Global Anglican Future Conference, created the Jerusalem Declaration, and established the '''Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans''' ('''FCA'''), which was rebranded as GAFCON in 2017. At its founding, it consisted of the Anglican provinces of Rwanda; Nigeria; Uganda; Alexandria; Chile; Congo; Kenya, Myanmar; South Sudan; and the newly-formed Anglican Church in Brazil, Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa, and Anglican Church in North America.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

On October 16, 2025, GAFCON claimed to have broken ties with the Canterbury-based Anglican Communion. GAFCON also claimed in subsequent communications to not be leaving the Anglican Communion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wyatt |first=Tim |date=2025-10-22 |title=The Anglican Communion Is Coming Apart |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/10/anglican-communion-gafcon-break-canterbury-archbishop/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=Christianity Today |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gafcon letter declares that it is the Communion now, minus Canterbury and all related ‘Instruments’ |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2025/24-october/news/world/gafcon-letter-declares-that-it-is-the-communion-now-minus-canterbury-and-all-related-instruments |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=www.churchtimes.co.uk}}</ref> The chairman of GAFCON, Laurent Mbanda, the Primate of Rwanda, declared that GAFCON would officially be renamed the '''Global Anglican Communion''', asserting that they have not left the Anglican Communion but instead are the Anglican Communion.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Future Has Arrived |url=https://gafcon.org/communique-updates/the-future-has-arrived/ |access-date=2025-10-17 |website=GAFCON: Global Anglicans |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref name=":2"/><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Michael |first=Mark |date=2025-10-17 |title=Analysis: GAFCON Creates Global Anglican Communion |url=https://livingchurch.org/news/news-anglican-communion/analysis-gafcon-creates-global-anglican-communion/ |access-date=2025-10-17 |website=The Living Church |language=en-US}}</ref> In March 2026, GAFCON declined to elect a "rival" primus inter pares to the Archbishop of Canterbury and, instead, reorganised its existing Primates' Council as the "Global Anglican Council."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Michael |first=Mark |date=2026-03-08 |title=GAFCON Nixes Primus Plan |url=https://livingchurch.org/news/news-anglican-communion/gafcon-nixes-primus-plan/ |access-date=2026-03-09 |website=The Living Church |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-05 |title=Gafcon pulls back from electing rival to Archbishop of Canterbury as head of Anglican Church |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62ddy7qwqzo |access-date=2026-03-09 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==History== {{main|Global Anglican Future Conference}} {{Anglican realignment}} The Global Anglican Future Conference was held near Jerusalem in June 2008 at the initiative of theologically-conservative Anglican leaders, mostly from Africa and Asia,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Diseko |first1=Lebo |title=Sarah Mullally: Choice of new Archbishop of Canterbury met "with sorrow" by conservative group Gafcon |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c179yvn08njo |access-date=26 October 2025 |work=BBC News |date=3 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Flanagan |first1=Jane |title=African leaders denounce election of female Archbishop of Canterbury |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/africa/article/african-bishops-dissent-archbishop-of-canterbury-56lgcsq5k |access-date=26 October 2025 |work=The Times |date=5 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Wyatt |first1=Tim |title=The Anglican Communion Is Coming Apart |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/10/anglican-communion-gafcon-break-canterbury-archbishop/ |access-date=26 October 2025 |work=Christianity Today |date=22 October 2025}}</ref> from across the globe who opposed the ordination of homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions by member churches of the Anglican Communion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.gafcon.org/about/history |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=GAFCON}}</ref> The meeting came as the culmination of a series of controversies in the Anglican Communion that began in 2003 when the openly non-celibate gay bishop Gene Robinson was consecrated by the Episcopal Church USA.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Finer |first=Jonathan |date=November 3, 2003 |title=Episcopalians Consecrate First Openly Gay Bishop |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/11/03/episcopalians-consecrate-first-openly-gay-bishop/5e64c11e-346a-49d1-84d0-80e13a698cb2/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> GAFCON was organised as a conservative alternative to the 2008 Lambeth Conference, which was boycotted by many traditionalists, except, most notably, Bishop Anis.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Butt |first=Riazat |date=2008-08-03 |title=Lambeth conference: Archbishop blames liberals for church rift |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/aug/04/anglicanism.religion |access-date=2023-02-15 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Mouneer Anis, the Presiding Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East (a conservative himself on matters of human sexuality), however, publicly announced he would not be one of the traditionalists attending GAFCON 2008; his observation was that "the Global South must not be driven by an exclusively Northern agenda or Northern personalities."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-05-21 |title=Middle East Presiding Bishop will not attend GAFCON |url=https://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/3090-2/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=Thinking Anglicans |language=en}}</ref>

The GAFCON Final Statement produced at the first conference recognises the Archbishop of Canterbury for his historic role in the Anglican Church but denies that his recognition is the cornerstone of Anglican identity. The statement also called for the formation of "A Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans."<ref>{{cite web |title=GAFCON Final Statement |url=http://gafcon.org/news/gafcon_final_statement/ |access-date=11 November 2014 |website=GAFCON}}</ref>

GAFCON was instrumental in the formation of the Anglican Church in North America in 2009. The ACNA was formed as an alternative church structure for those disaffected by the official Anglican structures in the United States and Canada. The Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America, which covers much of South America, is a key constituent of the GAFCON movement. The Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Australia, played an important role in forming the FCA and its Archbishop Peter Jensen was the FCA's first secretary.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Sydney Synod endorses Jerusalem Declaration|publisher=Anglican Diocese of Sydney|date=October 20, 2008|url=http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/mediareleases/sydney_synod_endorses_jerusalem_declaration/|access-date=5 June 2010}}</ref>

On 6 July 2009, GAFCON was launched within the British Isles and by 2016 rebranded itself as GAFCON GB & Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Gafcon GB & Europe |url=https://gafcongbe.org/about |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=Gafcon GB & Europe}}</ref> Through this branch, the Anglican Network in Europe was created, and the Reformed Episcopal Church and Free Church of England have been members of GAFCON GB & Europe since 2008. In 2015, Rod Thomas (a member of the executive of AMiE) was consecrated the provincial episcopal visitor for conservative evangelical members of the Church of England.

On 3 September 2009, GAFCON's South African branch was established by the initiative of Bishop Bethlehem Nopece, of the Anglican Diocese of Port Elizabeth. It incorporates Anglicans from three denominations: the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa (REACH-SA) and the Traditional Anglican Communion.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans launched in South Africa |publisher=GAFCON |date=September 3, 2009 |url=http://www.gafcon.org/news/fellowship_of_confessing_anglicans_launched_in_south_africa/}}</ref> In 2023, REACH-SA was recognized as an "authentic Anglican province" by the Gafcon Primates' Council, and its presiding bishop, Glenn Lyons, was seated on the council.<ref name="reach-sa">{{cite news |title=New General Secretary for GAFCON |url=https://anglican.ink/2023/11/10/new-general-secretary-for-gafcon/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |work=Anglican Ink |date=November 10, 2023}}</ref>

GAFCON in New Zealand was launched in April 2016 in two conferences that took place in Auckland and Christchurch an united nearly 500 members from the entire country. Chairman Archbishop Eliud Wabukala from Kenya sent a message of support read at the conferences. Video greetings were also sent by Archbishop Foley Beach of the Anglican Church in North America, and Bishop Richard Condie of the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania and chairman of GAFCON Australia. Rev. Jay Behan became the chair of GAFCON New Zealand. The creation of GAFCON New Zealand was a result of the passing of Motion 30 by the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia and the subsequent document "A Way Forward", proposing the blessing of same-sex marriages, presented at their General Synod in May 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jill |date=2016-04-19 |title=Formation of Fellowship or Confessing Anglicans New Zealand |url=https://anglicanmainstream.org/formation-of-fellowship-or-confessing-anglicans-new-zealand/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=Anglican Mainstream |language=en-GB}}</ref> The Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand was established in 2019 with Behan as the inaugural bishop.<ref>{{cite web |date=17 May 2019 |title=A New Diocese & Bishop for the Church of Confessing Anglicans in New Zealand |url=https://www.gafcon.org/news/a-new-diocese-bishop-for-the-church-of-confessing-anglicans-in-new-zealand |access-date=14 October 2019 |website=GAFCON |publisher=}}</ref>

GAFCON helped to form the Diocese of the Southern Cross in 2022, a breakaway from the Anglican Church of Australia as a result of disagreements over same-sex marriage and other issues.<ref name="Baker">{{cite news |last=Baker|first=Jordan|title=Anglican church splits: conservatives form Australian breakaway |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/anglican-church-splits-conservatives-form-australian-breakaway-20220816-p5bact.html |access-date=16 August 2022 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Diocese |first=Armidale Anglican |date=2022-08-24 |title=Our Bishop's response to the launch of the Diocese of the Southern Cross |url=http://www.armidaleanglicandiocese.com/our-bishops-response-to-the-launch-of-the-diocese-of-the-southern-cross/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=Anglican Diocese of Armidale |language=en-AU}}</ref>

On October 16, 2025, in response to the Church of England's announcement of Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canterbury Appointment Abandons Anglicans |url=https://gafcon.org/communique-updates/canterbury-appointment-abandons-anglicans/ |access-date=2025-10-17 |website=GAFCON: Global Anglicans |language=en-AU}}</ref> the head of GAFCON, Laurent Mbanda, formally declared that GAFCON is the authentic Anglican Communion. He further stated that GAFCON "rejects" Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council and the Anglican Communion's Primates Meeting, which GAFCON says have "failed to uphold the doctrine and discipline of the Anglican Communion".<ref name=":0"/> GAFCON's primates also announced their intention to reorganize as the "Global Anglican Communion" in response.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Felsbourg |first=Hannah |date=2025-10-17 |title=GAFCON announces new communion |url=https://tma.melbourneanglican.org.au/2025/10/gafcon-announces-new-communion/ |access-date=2025-10-17 |website=The Melbourne Anglican |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-17 |title=Orthodox Anglicans create new Communion that rejects leadership of Archbishop of Canterbury |url=https://www.christiantoday.com/news/orthodox-anglicans-create-new-communion-that-rejects-leadership-of-archbishop-of-canterbury |access-date=2025-10-17 |website=www.christiantoday.com |language=en}}</ref> They reiterated that they are not leaving the Anglican Communion but have rather reorganized it under themselves as the Anglican Communion.<ref name=":2"/> As Mbanda explained, "We cannot continue to have communion with those who advocate the revisionist agenda, which has abandoned the inerrant word of God as the final authority and overturned Resolution I.10, of the 1998 Lambeth Conference."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mbanda |first1=Laurent |title=The future has arrived: GAFCON takes control of the Anglican Communion |url=https://anglican.ink/2025/10/16/the-future-has-arrived-gafcon-takes-control-of-the-anglican-communion/ |website=Anglican Ink |access-date=16 October 2025}}</ref>

On March 3-4, 2026, meeting in Abuja, GAFCON member churches confirmed their intention to remain a part of the Anglican Communion and framed their efforts as a reorganization and "continuity."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eboh |first=Camillus |date=2026-03-04 |title=Conservative Anglicans meeting in Nigeria say they seek continuity, not schism |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/conservative-anglicans-meeting-nigeria-say-they-seek-continuity-not-schism-2026-03-04/ |access-date=2026-03-09 |website=Reuters |language=en}}</ref> GAFCON announced they planned to move forward with electing a "rival" primus inter pares to the Archbishop of Canterbury, with some member churches continuing to oppose the ordination of women as bishops.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Conservative Anglicans prepare to challenge Sarah Mullally with rival leader |url=https://thecatholicherald.com/article/conservative-anglicans-prepare-to-challenge-sarah-mullally-with-rival-leader |access-date=2026-03-04 |website=thecatholicherald.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-03 |title=Gafcon leaders meet in Nigeria as splits widen in Anglican Church over Sarah Mullally |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgrz1rx0ejzo |access-date=2026-03-04 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ezeamalu |first=Ben |date=March 3, 2026 |title=Conservative Anglicans to pick rival leader, widening Church rifts |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/conservative-anglicans-pick-rival-leader-widening-church-rifts-2026-03-03/}}</ref> On March 5, 2026, after further discussion, GAFCON chose not to elect a "rival" primus inter pares and opted instead to elect a "Global Anglican Council."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-05 |title=Gafcon pulls back from electing rival to Archbishop of Canterbury as head of Anglican Church |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62ddy7qwqzo |access-date=2026-03-05 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Conger |first=George |date=2026-03-05 |title=No primus for GAFCON -- rebrands itself as the Global Anglican Council |url=https://anglican.ink/2026/03/05/no-primus-for-gafcon-rebrands-itself-as-the-global-anglican-council/ |access-date=2026-03-05 |website=Anglican Ink © 2026 |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Membership == As of 2025, GAFCON claims to represent upwards of 85% of the world's practising Anglicans.<ref name=":2"/><ref name=":13"/><ref name=":22"/> This claim is disputed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bumgardner |first=David |date=2025-10-17 |title=A house divided: The Anglican communion's great reset |url=https://baptistnews.com/article/a-house-divided-the-anglican-communions-great-reset/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=Baptist News Global |language=en-US}}</ref> Peer-reviewed research from 2015 and 2016, published in the ''Journal of Anglican Studies'' by Cambridge University Press, indicates that GAFCON-aligned provinces represent closer to 45% of practising Anglicans and just over 54% of members baptized in any of the provinces of the Anglican Communion.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" />

In 2020, additional peer-reviewed research focused on the Church of Nigeria, GAFCON's largest member church, Kenya, and Uganda. GAFCON claims that the Church of Nigeria has 25 million members,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) |url=https://gafcon.org/prayer-updates/the-church-of-nigeria-anglican-communion/ |access-date=2025-11-23 |website=GAFCON: Global Anglicans |language=en-AU}}</ref> and the Church of Nigeria claims 18 million nominal members,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-09-30 |title=About |url=https://anglican-nig.org/about/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |language=en-GB}}</ref> but research published in the ''Journal of Anglican Studies'' estimated that 7.6 million Nigerians self-identified as Anglicans.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=McKinnon |first=Andrew |date=May 2020 |title=Demography of Anglicans in Sub-Saharan Africa: Estimating the Population of Anglicans in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-anglican-studies/article/abs/demography-of-anglicans-in-subsaharan-africa-estimating-the-population-of-anglicans-in-kenya-nigeria-south-africa-tanzania-and-uganda/833CD17ACFB3823B2F43DBA4FCBE1B1F |journal=Journal of Anglican Studies |language=en |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=42–60 |doi=10.1017/S1740355320000170 |issn=1740-3553|hdl=2164/14774 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> The same research estimated the Anglican population in Kenya to be closer to 4.9 million and Uganda to be 10.9 million.<ref name=":1" />

==Organization== The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans aims to extend the goals of the GAFCON conferences into a movement, to "preach the biblical gospel [...] all over the world" and "provide aid to [...] faithful Anglicans" disaffected from their original churches.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jerusalem Declaration - June 2008 |url=https://www.gafcon.org/about/jerusalem-declaration |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=GAFCON}}</ref> The fellowship recognizes the Jerusalem Declaration, written at the 2008 GAFCON meeting, as a "contemporary rule." The fellowship had been administered by a "Primates' Council" originally consisting of Primates from the African provinces of the Anglican Communion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Structure |url=https://www.gafcon.org/about/structure |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=GAFCON}}</ref> In 2026, GAFCON voted to dissolve the Primates' Council and replace it with a newly elected "Global Anglican Council."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Michael |first=Mark |date=2026-03-27 |title=Here’s Who Leads the Global Anglican Communion |url=https://livingchurch.org/news/news-anglican-communion/heres-who-leads-the-global-anglican-communion/ |access-date=2026-03-30 |website=The Living Church |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gafcon to be led by new Global Anglican Council including clergy, laity, and bishops |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/13-march/news/world/gafcon-to-be-led-by-new-global-anglican-council-including-clergy-laity-and-bishops |access-date=2026-03-30 |website=www.churchtimes.co.uk}}</ref> In addition to GAFCON member primates indicated in the table below, membership in the council also included several advisers (including Glenn Davies, Andy Lines and Kanishka Raffel) and three "guarantors" (retired Archbishop Peter Akinola and laymen Olayinka Fisher and Emmanuel Kampouris).<ref name="TLC-2026">{{cite web | last=Michael | first=Mark | title=Here's Who Leads the Global Anglican Communion | website=The Living Church | date=March 27, 2026 | url=https://livingchurch.org/news/news-anglican-communion/heres-who-leads-the-global-anglican-communion/ | access-date=April 2, 2026}}</ref> As of April 2026, GAFCON listed 12 provinces, 7 branches, and 2 branches "being formed."<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Gafcon |url=https://gafcon.org/about/ |access-date=2026-04-02 |website=GAFCON: Global Anglicans |language=en-AU}}</ref>

===Member provinces=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%;" |- ! Provinces ! Territorial jurisdiction ! data-sort-type="number"| Membership (baptized) ! Anglican Communion member province ! Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member ! Represented on Global Anglican Council<ref name="GAC-list">{{cite web |title=Global Anglican Council |url=https://gafcon.org/about/global-anglican-council/ |publisher=Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans |access-date=2 April 2026}}</ref> |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Alexandria"| Anglican Province of Alexandria<ref>{{Cite web |title=Primates Council & Advisors |url=https://gafcon.org/about/primates-council-and-advisors/ |access-date=2025-10-20 |website=GAFCON: Global Anglicans |language=en-AU}}</ref> | style="vertical-align: top;" | Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Somalia, Tunisia | 50,000<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-01 |title=The Episcopal / Anglican Province of Alexandria {{!}} World Council of Churches |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/the-episcopal/anglican-province-of-alexandria |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=www.oikoumene.org |language=en}}</ref> | Yes | Yes | No |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Brazil"| Anglican Church in Brazil | style="vertical-align: top;" | Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Central America | N/A | No | Yes | Yes (Primate Miguel Uchôa, Global Anglican Council vice chairman) |- valign="top"

| style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Chile"| Anglican Church of Chile | style="vertical-align: top;" | Chile | 20,000<ref name="iach.cl">{{Cite web |url=http://www.iach.cl/2018/11/05/iglesia-anglicana-de-chile-se-convierte-en-la-provincia-40o-del-mundo/ |title=Iglesia Anglicana de Chile se convierte en la provincia 40º del mundo, Anglican Church of Chile Official Website (Spanish) |access-date=7 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107225133/http://www.iach.cl/2018/11/05/iglesia-anglicana-de-chile-se-convierte-en-la-provincia-40o-del-mundo/ |archive-date=7 November 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | Yes | Yes | Yes (Primate Enrique Lago) |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Congo"| Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo | style="vertical-align: top;" | Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo | 500,000<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/church-of-christ-in-congo-anglican-community-of-congo|title=Church of Christ in Congo – Anglican Community of Congo – World Council of Churches|website=www.oikoumene.org|language=en|access-date=14 June 2016}}</ref> | Yes | Yes | No |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Europe"| Anglican Network in Europe (proto-province) | style="vertical-align: top;" | Europe | N/A | No | No | Yes (Presiding Bishop Andy Lines) |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Kenya"| Anglican Church of Kenya | style="vertical-align: top;" | Kenya | 5,860,000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ackenya.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DECADE-STRATEGY-2018-2027.pdf |title=ACK Decade Strategy 2017|page=2|accessdate=June 19, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-95072020000300002 |title=Equiping Law Leaders for Christian Ministry in the Anglican Church of Kenya through Theological Education by Extension. Prospects and Challenges|author1=George Kiarie|author2=Mary Mwangi|journal=Missionalia |publisher=Southern African Journal of Missiology, Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology, University of South Africa|year=2025|volume=48 |issue=3 |location=Pretoria |doi=10.7832/48-3-374 |issn=2312-878X|accessdate=June 19, 2025|doi-access=free}}</ref> | Yes | No | No |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Myanmar"| Church of the Province of Myanmar | style="vertical-align: top;" | Myanmar | 62,000<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/church-of-the-province-of-myanmar|title=Church of the Province of Myanmar – World Council of Churches|website=www.oikoumene.org|language=en|access-date=14 June 2016}}</ref> | Yes | Yes | No |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Nigeria"| Church of Nigeria | style="vertical-align: top;" | Nigeria | 25,000,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) |url=https://gafcon.org/prayer-updates/the-church-of-nigeria-anglican-communion/ |access-date=2025-09-30 |website=GAFCON: Global Anglicans |language=en-AU}}</ref> | Yes | No | Yes (Primate Henry Ndukuba) |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="North America" | Anglican Church in North America | style="vertical-align: top;" | Canada, Mexico, United States | 130,111<ref name="ACNA-Stats-2024">{{cite web |last1=Walton |first1=Jeff |title=What are the Largest Anglican Dioceses and Parishes? |url=https://juicyecumenism.com/2025/07/10/acna-diocesan-numbers/ |website=Juicy Ecumenism |publisher=Institute on Religion and Democracy |access-date=10 July 2025 |date=July 10, 2025}}</ref> | No | Yes | Yes (Acting Archbishop Julian Dobbs) |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Rwanda"| Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda | style="vertical-align: top;" | Rwanda | 1,500,000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.igihe.com/spip.php?page=mv2_article&id_article=56079|title=1.5 million followers, 1,300 schools and hospitals: The Anglican Church’s century in Rwanda|date=October 27, 2025|accessdate=November 4, 2025}}</ref> | Yes | No | Yes (Primate Laurent Mbanda, Global Anglican Council chairman) |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Southern Africa"| Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa<ref name="reach-sa" /> | style="vertical-align: top;" | Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe | 100,000<ref>{{cite web|title=Church Denominations in South Africa|url=http://www.sachristian.co.za/church.html|publisher=SA Christian|access-date=18 December 2011|archive-date=20 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620221648/http://www.sachristian.co.za/church.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | No | No | Yes (Presiding Bishop Siegfried Ngubane) |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="South America"| Anglican Church of South America | style="vertical-align: top;" | Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay | 46,100<ref>{{Cite book |title=Growth and decline in the Anglican communion: 1980 to the present |date=2017 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-4724-3364-0 |editor-last=Goodhew |editor-first=David |edition=1st |series=Routledge contemporary ecclesiology |location=London New York}}</ref> | Yes | Yes | No |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="South Sudan"| Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan | style="vertical-align: top;" | South Sudan | 4,000,000<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.casss.org.uk/about-south-sudan/|title=About South Sudan|accessdate=November 3, 2025|archivedate=September 25, 2020|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20200925042043/https://www.casss.org.uk/about-south-sudan/}}</ref> | Yes | Yes | No |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Uganda"| Church of Uganda | style="vertical-align: top;" | Uganda | 13,311,801<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=NATIONAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS 2024 |url=https://www.ubos.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/National-Population-and-Housing-Census-2024-Final-Report-Volume-1-Main.pdf |access-date=October 19, 2025 |website=ubos.org}}</ref> | Yes | Yes | Yes (Primate Stephen Kaziimba) |- | colspan="2"| '''GAFCON''' | '''51,580,012''' | colspan="3" | - |}

===Non-provincial GAFCON branches===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%;" |- ! Branches ! Territorial jurisdiction ! data-sort-type="number"| Membership (in thousands of people) ! Other affiliated entities ! Represented on Global Anglican Council |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Australia"| Gafcon Australia | style="vertical-align: top;" | Australia | TBD | Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Anglican Diocese of Tasmania, Diocese of the Southern Cross | Yes (Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, Archbishop Glenn Davies) |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Europe"| Gafcon GB and Europe | style="vertical-align: top;" | Great Britain, continental Europe | TBD | Anglican Network in Europe, Free Church of England, Reformed Episcopal Church | Yes (Presiding Bishop Andy Lines) |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Ghana"| Gafcon Ghana | style="vertical-align: top;" | Ghana | TBD | Anglican Diocese of Sunyani | No |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Ireland"| Gafcon Ireland | style="vertical-align: top;" | Ireland | TBD | | No |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="New Zealand" | Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand | style="vertical-align: top;" | New Zealand | TBD | | Yes (Presiding Bishop Jay Behan) |- valign="top" | style="vertical-align: top;" data-sort-value="Tanzania"| Gafcon Tanzania | style="vertical-align: top;" | Tanzania | TBD | Anglican Church of Tanzania Dioceses of Tabora, Mara, Mpwapwa, Tarime, Kibondo, Mount Kilimanjaro, Rorya, Shinyanga, Lake Rukwa, and Western Tanganyika<ref name="tanzania-member-dioceses">{{cite web |title=A COMMUNIQUE FROM GAFCON TANZANIA |url=https://www.gafcon.org/news/communique-from-gafcon-tanzania |website=Gafcon Global Anglicans |access-date=29 September 2022 |archive-date=23 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523153357/https://www.gafcon.org/news/communique-from-gafcon-tanzania |url-status=dead }}</ref> |No |}

== Ordination of women == The ordination of women to holy orders and the offices of deacon, priest (presbyter), and bishop remains controversial in GAFCON.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Townsend |first=Matt |date=2018-03-06 |title=Analysis: A Dilemma for GAFCON |url=https://livingchurch.org/news/analysis-a-dilemma-for-gafcon/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=The Living Church |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A Statement on the Consecration of a Female Bishop in South Sudan {{!}} GAFCON |url=https://civicrm.gafcon.org/news/a-statement-on-the-consecration-of-a-female-bishop-in-south-sudan |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=civicrm.gafcon.org}}</ref> Among the member churches of GAFCON, there is a diversity of approaches to women's ordination. Nigeria ordains women only to the diaconate within limitations. Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda ordain women as priests.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Petersen |first=Kirk |date=2023-11-07 |title=Province of Central Africa Approves Ordination of Women |url=https://livingchurch.org/news/province-of-central-africa-approves-ordination-of-women/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=The Living Church |language=en-US}}</ref> The Province of Myanmar "accepted the ordination of women in principle", but, as of 2002, had not ordained women.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Journal |first=Anglican |date=2002-01-01 |title=Rebirth of the church in Myanmar |url=https://anglicanjournal.com/rebirth-of-the-church-in-myanmar-1552/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=Anglican Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> Kenya and South Sudan have ordained women as bishops.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-06 |title=Anglican Church in Kenya appoints first two women bishops |url=https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2021/08/06/89000/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=Episcopal News Service |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nzwili |first=Fredrick |date=2024-01-19 |title=Africa’s six Anglican women bishops meet and issue call to combat Africa's 'triple threat' |url=https://religionnews.com/2024/01/19/africas-six-anglican-women-bishops-meet-and-issue-call-to-combat-africas-triple-threat/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=RNS |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2006, the Church of Nigeria planned to ordain women to the diaconate but not as priests or bishops.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 July 2006 |title=Women Clergy a Future Possibility for Nigeria, says Bishop |url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/women.clergy.a.future.possibility.for.nigeria.says.bishop/7052.htm |access-date=2021-09-14 |website=Christian Today |language=en}}</ref> In 2010, the church moved forward with those plans and began to ordain women as deacons, with limitations "for specific purposes like hospital work and school services"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigeria: Cleric Okays Women Ordination {{!}} WWRN - World-wide Religious News |url=https://wwrn.org/articles/33610/ |access-date=2021-09-14 |website=wwrn.org}}</ref> The Church of Nigeria continues to prohibit the ordination of women as priests or bishops.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rubenstein|first=Mary-Jane|date=2004-06-01|title=An Anglican Crisis of Comparison: Intersections of Race, Gender, and Religious Authority, with Particular Reference to the Church of Nigeria|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/lfh033|journal=Journal of the American Academy of Religion|volume=72|issue=2|pages=341–365|doi=10.1093/jaarel/lfh033|pmid=20681098|issn=0002-7189|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

The Church of Uganda has ordained women as deacons since 1973 and as priests since 1983.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 3, 2017|title=50 Years of Shared Responsibility with God-called Women in the Church of the Province of Uganda|url=https://ucudir.ucu.ac.ug/bitstream/handle/20.500.11951/234/Byaruhanga_Keynote%20Address%20on%2050%20Years%20of%20Shared%20Responsibility%20with%20God-called%20Women%20in%20the%20Church%20of%20the%20Province%20of%20Uganda_2017.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|access-date=September 14, 2021|website=Uganda Christian University}}</ref> The Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo permits the ordination of women as deacons.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Buchanan |first=Colin O. |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4422-5016-1 |title=Historical dictionary of Anglicanism |date=2015 |publisher=Rowman and Littlefield |isbn=978-1-4422-5016-1 |edition=2nd |series=Historical dictionaries of religions, philosophies, and movements |location=Lanham |pages=620}}</ref> In 2003, the Diocese of Boga, in the Congo, ordained the first woman as a priest.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wild-Wood |first=Emma |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-474-4304-9 |title=Migration and Christian identity in Congo (DRC) |date=2008 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-474-4304-9 |series=Brill eBook titles 2008 |location=Leiden Boston |pages=161 |chapter=Chapter Seven. Weak Vessels Or Church Foundations? Women In The Eac}}</ref> The Anglican Church of South America has allowed each diocese to permit the ordination of women as priests since 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Majority of South America dioceses may soon have women priests |url=https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2015/01/majority-of-south-america-dioceses-may-soon-have-women-priests.aspx |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=www.anglicannews.org |language=en-gb}}</ref> The Anglican Church of Uruguay, a diocese of South America, ordained the first women as priests that same year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Folkins |first=Tali |date=2015-12-01 |title=First female priests ordained in Uruguay |url=https://anglicanjournal.com/first-female-priests-ordained-in-uruguay/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=Anglican Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Anglican Church in North America allows each diocese to decide whether to ordain women as deacons or priests but does not permit the ordination of women as bishops.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Andrew Gross|date=2017-09-08|title=College of Bishops Statement on the Ordination of Women|url=https://anglicanchurch.net/college-of-bishops-statement-on-the-ordination-of-women/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=The Anglican Church in North America|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2023, the Diocese of the Southern Cross (Australia) welcomed its first female priest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sandeman |first=John |date=2023-01-30 |title=Gafcon's Southern Cross diocese gets a woman minister, and church number four |url=https://theothercheek.com.au/gafcons-southern-cross-diocese-gets-a-woman-minister-and-church-number-four/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=THE OTHER CHEEK |language=en-AU}}</ref> The Anglican Network in Europe is made up of two groups of churches: the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) and the Anglican Convocation in Europe (ACE). The AMiE does not ordain women, and the ACE permits the ordination of women as deacons and priests but not as bishops.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wyatt |first=Tim |date=2022-11-08 |title=New bishops appointed for breakaway Anglican church |url=https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/news/anglican-network-in-europe-appoint-bishops-in-hull/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=Religion Media Centre |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-27 |title=New Anglican Bishops For England And Europe By Andrew Atherstone - Advent Cable Network Nigeria |url=https://acnntv.com/new-anglican-bishops-for-england-and-europe-by-andrew-atherstone/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |language=en-US}}</ref> The Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa does not permit the ordination of women.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://reachsa.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/HANDBOOK-OF-PROCEDURES-CHAPTER-1.pdf |title=Basic Information about REACH SA |date=2019 |publisher=Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa |chapter=Chapter 12. The Role of Women}}</ref>

Women in the episcopacy continues to divide GAFCON.<ref name=":5" /> In 2016, the Episcopal Church of Sudan consecrated the first woman, Elizabeth Awut Ngor, as bishop, the first woman bishop among the GAFCON members.<ref>{{Cite web |last=lwilson |date=2021-08-06 |title=Anglican Church in Kenya appoints first two women bishops |url=https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2021/08/06/89000/ |access-date=2021-09-14 |website=Episcopal News Service |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2018, the primatial bishops of the GAFCON member churches agreed to a moratorium on further ordinations of women to the episcopate.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Conger|first=George|date=2018-04-22|title=GAFCON adopts moratorium on women bishops|url=https://anglican.ink/2018/04/21/gafcon-adopts-moratorium-on-women-bishops/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=Anglican Ink © 2021|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Task Force on Women in the Episcopate, Interim Report (2019) {{!}} GAFCON|url=https://www.gafcon.org/resources/task-force-on-women-in-the-episcopate-interim-report-2019|access-date=2021-09-14|website=www.gafcon.org}}</ref> In 2021, the Anglican Church of Kenya consecrated two women as bishops: Emily Onyango as an assisting bishop and Rose Okeno as the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Butere.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Conger|first=George|date=2021-01-27|title=Appointment of women bishop in Kenya challenged|url=https://anglican.ink/2021/01/26/appointment-of-women-bishop-in-kenya-challenged/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=Anglican Ink © 2021|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Rose Okeno consecrated as first female bishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya|url=https://citizentv.co.ke/news/rose-okeno-consecrated-as-first-female-bishop-of-the-anglican-church-of-kenya-13099724/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=Citizentv.co.ke|date=13 September 2021|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Shilitsa|first=John|title=History as first woman bishop, Rose Okeno, takes the reins|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001423334/history-as-first-woman-bishop-rose-okeno-takes-the-reins|access-date=2021-09-14|website=The Standard|language=en}}</ref> In 2022, Archbishop Kaziimba of the Church of Uganda confirmed that a woman may be ordained a bishop in the Church of Uganda.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uganda Is Ready for A Female Bishop- Archbishop Kaziimba |url=https://ugandaradionetwork.net/story/uganda-is-ready-for-a-female-bishop-archbishop-kaziimba- |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=Uganda Radionetwork |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-18 |title=Uganda is ready for a female Bishop: Archbishop Kaziimba |url=https://www.independent.co.ug/uganda-is-ready-for-a-female-bishop-archbishop-kaziimba/ |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=The Independent Uganda |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2025, GAFCON opposed the appointment of Sarah Mullally (who expressed liberal views on blessing same-sex couples in the Church of England) as the next Archbishop of Canterbury. It stated that her appointment was a cause for "sorrow" and demonstrated that the Church of England had "relinquished its authority to lead."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Diseko |first1=Libo |title=Sarah Mullally: Choice of new Archbishop of Canterbury met "with sorrow" by conservative group Gafcon |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c179yvn08njo |access-date=4 October 2025 |work=BBC News |date=3 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Burgess |first1=Kaya |title=Sarah Mullally announced as new Archbishop of Canterbury |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/religion/article/sarah-mullally-new-archbishop-canterbury-news-bjx65l9jt |access-date=4 October 2025 |work=The Times |date=3 October 2025 |url-access=limited}}</ref> While some were opposed to the appointee being a woman, the Church of Uganda's Stephen Kaziimba stated his opposition to Sarah Mullally's appointment was based on her views, not her gender.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaziimba |first=Stephen |date=2025-10-04 |title=Uganda statement on the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury |url=https://anglican.ink/2025/10/04/uganda-statement-on-the-appointment-of-the-archbishop-of-canterbury/ |access-date=2025-10-05 |website=Anglican Ink © 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-04 |title=Why Church of Uganda rejects Mullally’s appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/why-church-of-uganda-rejects-mullally-s-appointment-as-archbishop-of-canterbury-5216896 |access-date=2025-10-05 |website=Monitor |language=en}}</ref>

==See also== * Global Anglican Future Conference * Anglican realignment * Homosexuality and Anglicanism

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist|25em}}

==External links== * [https://www.gafcon.org/ Official website] * [https://www.gafcon.org/about/jerusalem-declaration The Jerusalem Declaration]

{{Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans}} {{Anglican Church in North America}}

Category:Anglicanism Category:Anglican realignment Category:Anglican Church in North America Category:Schisms in Christianity