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Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
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Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
TypeCommunion
ClassificationProtestant[a]
OrientationConfessing Anglican
ScriptureProtestant Bible
TheologyAnglican doctrine
PolityEpiscopal
ChairmanLaurent Mbanda
Vice ChairmenKanishka Raffel, Miguel Uchôa
General SecretaryPaul Donison
HeadquartersSheffield, England
Origin2008
Global Anglican Future Conference, Jerusalem
Official websitegafcon.org

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.[1][2] As of 2025, GAFCON claims to represent upwards of 85% of the world's practising Anglicans.[3][4][5] 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.[6][7]

Confessing Anglicans met in 2008 at the Global Anglican Future Conference, creating the Jerusalem Declaration and establishing 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.[8][3][9]

On October 16, 2025, GAFCON formally declared its intent to possibly break ties with the Canterbury-based Anglican Communion. The chairman of GAFCON, Laurent Mbanda, the Primate of Rwanda, declared that GAFCON intends to be recognized[by whom?] as the Global Anglican Communion, asserting that they have not left the Anglican Communion but instead are the Anglican Communion.[8][3][9]

History

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Main article: Global Anglican Future Conference
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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,[10][11][12] from across the globe who opposed the ordination of homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions by member churches of the Anglican Communion.[13] 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.[14] GAFCON was organised as a conservative alternative to the 2008 Lambeth Conference, which was boycotted by many traditionalists, except, most notably, Bishop Anis.[15] 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."[16]

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."[17]

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.[18]

On 6 July 2009, GAFCON was launched within the British Isles and by 2016 rebranded itself as GAFCON GB & Europe.[19] 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.[20] 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.[21]

GAFCON in New Zealand was launched in April 2016 in two conferences that took place in Auckland and Christchurch reuniting 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.[22] The Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand was established in 2019 with Behan as the inaugural bishop.[23]

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.[24][25]

On October 16, 2025, in response to the Church of England's announcement of Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury,[26] the head of GAFCON, Laurent Mbanda, formally declared that GAFCON is the authentic Anglican Communion. He further stated that the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council and the Anglican Communion's Primates Meeting have "failed to uphold the doctrine and discipline of the Anglican Communion".[8] GAFCON's primates also announced their intention to reorganize as the "Global Anglican Communion" in response.[8][9][27][28] They reiterated that they are not leaving the Anglican Communion but have rather reorganized it under themselves as the Anglican Communion.[3] 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."[29]

Membership

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As of 2025, GAFCON claims to represent upwards of 85% of the world's practising Anglicans.[3][4][5] This claim is disputed.[30] 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.[6][7]

In 2020, additional peer-reviewed research focused on the Church of Nigeria, GAFCON's largest member church, Kenya, and Uganda. The Church of Nigeria claims 18 million nominal members,[31] but research published in the Journal of Anglican Studies found that 7.6 million Nigerians self-identified as Anglicans.[32] The same research estimated the Anglican population in Kenya to be closer to 4.9 million and Uganda to be 10.9 million.[32]

Organization

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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.[33] The fellowship recognizes the Jerusalem Declaration, written at the 2008 GAFCON meeting, as a "contemporary rule." The fellowship is administered by a "Primates' Council" originally consisting of Primates from the African provinces of the Anglican Communion.[34] GAFCON currently lists 12 provinces, 7 branches, and 2 branches "being formed."[35]

Member provinces

[edit]
Provinces Territorial jurisdiction Membership (baptized) Anglican Communion member province Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member Ordains women Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Anglican Province of Alexandria[36] Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Somalia, Tunisia 50,000[37] Yes Yes No Yes (Samy Fawzy)
Anglican Church in Brazil Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Central America N/A No Yes No Yes (Miguel Uchôa, vice chairman)
Anglican Church of Chile Chile 20,000[38] Yes Yes No Yes (Enrique Lago)
Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo 500,000[39] Yes Yes No Yes (Georges Titre Ande)
Anglican Network in Europe (proto-province) Europe N/A No No No
Anglican Church of Kenya Kenya 5,860,000[40][41] Yes Yes Yes Yes (Jackson Ole Sapit)
Church of the Province of Myanmar Myanmar 62,000[42] Yes Yes No Yes (Stephen Than Myint Oo)
Church of Nigeria Nigeria 25,000,000[43] Yes Yes Yes (to the diaconate) Yes (Henry Ndukuba)
Anglican Church in North America Canada, Mexico, United States 130,111[44] No Yes Yes (to the priesthood), varies by diocese Yes (Steve Wood)
Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda Rwanda 1,500,000[45] Yes Yes Yes (to the priesthood) Yes (Laurent Mbanda, chairman)
Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa[21] Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe 100,000[46] No No No Yes (Siegfried Ngubane)
Anglican Church of South America Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay 46,100[47] Yes Yes Yes (to the priesthood), varies by diocese[48][49] No
Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan South Sudan 5,000,000[50] Yes Yes Yes Yes (Justin Badi Arama)
Church of Uganda Uganda 13,311,801[51] Yes Yes Yes (to the priesthood) Yes (Stephen Kaziimba)
GAFCON 52,580,012 -

Non-provincial GAFCON branches

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Branches Territorial jurisdiction Membership (in thousands of people) Other affiliated entities
Gafcon Australia Australia TBD Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Anglican Diocese of Tasmania, Diocese of the Southern Cross
Gafcon GB and Europe Great Britain, continental Europe TBD Anglican Network in Europe, Free Church of England, Reformed Episcopal Church
Gafcon Ghana Ghana TBD Anglican Diocese of Sunyani
Gafcon Ireland Ireland TBD
Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand New Zealand TBD
Gafcon Tanzania Tanzania TBD Anglican Church of Tanzania Dioceses of Tabora, Mara, Mpwapwa, Tarime, Kibondo, Mount Kilimanjaro, Rorya, Shinyanga, Lake Rukwa, and Western Tanganyika[52]

Ordination of women

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The ordination of women to holy orders, the offices of deacon, priest (presbyter), and bishop, remains controversial in GAFCON.[53][54] Among the member churches of GAFCON, there is a diversity of approaches to women's ordination. Nigeria only ordains women to the diaconate within limitations; Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda ordain women as priests.[55] Kenya and South Sudan have ordained women as bishops.[56][57]

In 2006, the Church of Nigeria planned to ordain women to the diaconate, but not as priests or bishops.[58] 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".[59] The Church of Nigeria continues to prohibit the ordination of women as priests or bishops.[60]

The Church of Uganda has ordained women as deacons since 1973 and as priests since 1983.[61] 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.[62] In 2023, the Diocese of the Southern Cross (Australia) welcomed its first female priest.[63]

Women in the episcopacy continues to divide GAFCON.[53] In 2016, the Episcopal Church of Sudan consecrated the first woman, Elizabeth Awut Ngor, as bishop and the first woman bishop among the GAFCON members.[64] In 2018, the primatial bishops of the GAFCON member churches agreed to a moratorium on further ordinations of women to the episcopate.[65][66] In 2021, the Anglican Church of Kenya consecrated two women as bishops, Emily Onyango was consecrated as an assisting bishop and Rose Okeno was consecrated as the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Butere.[67][68][69] In 2022, Archbishop Kaziimba of the Church of Uganda confirmed that a woman may be ordained a bishop in the Church of Uganda.[70][71]

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, stating that her appointment was a cause for "sorrow" and demonstrated that the Church of England had "relinquished its authority to lead".[72][73] 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.[74][75]

See also

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Notes

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans

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The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) is a worldwide network of orthodox Anglicans dedicated to upholding the supreme authority of the and proclaiming the gospel amid doctrinal innovations within the broader . Founded in 2008 through the inaugural in , attended by over 1,000 , , and , it emerged in response to developments such as the consecration of an openly homosexual and the authorization of same-sex blessings, which its leaders view as departures from scriptural teaching. The movement's foundational Jerusalem Declaration asserts that "the doctrine of the Church is grounded in the Holy Scriptures" and calls for reform or replacement of structures failing to uphold biblical truth. GAFCON operates as a decentralized fellowship led by a Primates Council comprising archbishops from provinces representing the majority of global Anglicans, primarily from the Global South, and includes eleven formally recognized provinces such as the (ACNA). It supports , leadership training, and missional initiatives, fostering a parallel structure to the official instruments centered on . Subsequent conferences in 2013, 2018, and beyond have reinforced its commitment to , emphasizing personal conversion, , and opposition to theological liberalism. In October 2025, GAFCON's Primates Council, chaired by Laurent Mbanda of , issued a communiqué declaring "the future has arrived" for Anglicanism, rejecting oversight from the following the Church of England's endorsement of prayers of blessing for same-sex couples and proposing a reordered Communion based on fidelity to Scripture. This move underscores GAFCON's role in the ongoing realignment of global Anglicanism, where conservative provinces increasingly assert leadership over Western liberal ones, reflecting the demographic shift toward , , and .

Historical Development

Formation in Response to Doctrinal Crises

The doctrinal crises precipitating the formation of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA) stemmed from progressive innovations in select Anglican provinces, particularly the (TEC) in the United States and the (ACoC), which contravened traditional teachings on and scriptural authority. In 2002, the Diocese of in the ACoC became the first Anglican body to authorize public rites blessing same-sex unions, defying the 1998 Resolution I.10, which had affirmed marriage exclusively as a lifelong union between one man and one woman and called for but rejection of homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture. This was followed in 2003 by TEC's consecration of as Bishop of , the first openly homosexual bishop in a non-celibate relationship, an action that Global South primates viewed as a direct assault on Anglican orthodoxy and unity. These developments, amid broader erosion of biblical fidelity in Western Anglicanism, prompted calls for repentance and moratoria on further innovations, as outlined in the 2005 Windsor Report commissioned by the . The Windsor Report urged TEC and ACoC to express regret for impairing communion and halt actions like further same-sex blessings or consecrations of partnered gay clergy, but non-compliance—exemplified by TEC's 2006 consecration of another partnered lesbian bishop and ongoing blessings—deepened the rift. Global South , representing the numerical majority of the world's 80 million Anglicans, increasingly boycotted formal Anglican instruments of unity, including the 2008 , citing their failure to enforce discipline and uphold . In response, 12 Global South and leaders issued a December 2006 communiqué announcing the (GAFCON) as a platform for orthodox Anglicans to reaffirm biblical truth amid perceived institutional collapse. This culminated in the first GAFCON assembly in from June 22 to 29, 2008, attended by over 1,100 delegates from 127 countries, including 287 bishops, which issued the . The declaration repudiated revisionist theology, recommitted to Scripture's supreme authority, and rejected impaired communion with provinces promoting "a false " on sexuality, laying the confessional groundwork for the GFCA movement. The GFCA was formally constituted at the second GAFCON in , , from October 21 to 26, 2013, with 1,358 delegates from 38 countries affirming the need for structural alternatives to the failing mechanisms. The Nairobi Communiqué and Commitment established the GFCA as a "confessing fellowship" bound by the Jerusalem Declaration, creating a Primates Council to provide gospel-centered leadership and recognizing entities like the (ACNA) as legitimate Anglican provinces outside TEC. This formation addressed the causal breakdown in the Communion's bonds of affection, where doctrinal innovations had prioritized autonomy over mutual accountability, enabling the GFCA to represent over 70% of global Anglicans committed to historic faith.

Key Conferences and Milestones

The convened in from June 22 to 29, 2008, marking the founding event of the movement that led to the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans. This gathering produced the Jerusalem Statement, which diagnosed erosion of biblical truth in the due to actions like the consecration of openly homosexual bishops and authorization of same-sex blessings, and the Jerusalem Declaration, affirming ten doctrinal commitments centered on scriptural authority, the gospel, and orthodox Anglican formularies. It also established a Primates' Council to provide ongoing leadership for the emerging fellowship. GAFCON II occurred in Nairobi, Kenya, in October 2013, attended by 1,358 delegates including 331 bishops from 38 countries. The conference statement addressed the theme of "The Gospel and the Cultures," urging contextualized proclamation of the unchanging gospel amid cultural pressures and calling for partnerships between Global South and Western churches to renew mission. The third conference, GAFCON III, returned to in June 2018, drawing 1,950 representatives from 50 countries under the theme "Proclaiming Christ Faithfully to the Nations." It issued a Letter to the Nations reinforcing commitment to biblical and gospel mission, while critiquing the Anglican Communion's instruments for failing to uphold doctrinal standards. GAFCON IV assembled in Kigali, , in April 2023, with 1,302 delegates from 52 countries, themed "To Whom Shall We Go?" The resulting Kigali Commitment reaffirmed the Jerusalem Declaration as the fellowship's doctrinal basis, declared impaired communion with Canterbury-led structures due to persistent endorsement, and pledged to disciple nations through and theological education. A pivotal unfolded on October 16, 2025, when the GAFCON Primates' Council issued the communiqué "The Future Has Arrived," declaring the reordering of the into a biblically faithful Global Anglican Communion. This action rejected Canterbury's authority, citing its abandonment of scriptural foundations, and outlined formation of a new primates' council elected from member provinces to govern the reordered structure.

Recent Declarations of Independence

On October 16, 2025, the of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) issued a communiqué titled "The Future Has Arrived," formally declaring a separation from the structures centered on the See of and reasserting GAFCON as the true continuation of the global Anglican fellowship. This action rejected the authority of the , the Anglican Consultative Council, and the as instruments of unity, citing their failure to uphold biblical orthodoxy amid progressive doctrinal shifts in provinces like the and the . The declaration emphasized that GAFCON, representing provinces with approximately 85% of the world's 100 million Anglicans, restores the Communion's original model as a voluntary fellowship of autonomous provinces bound by shared confession of faith rather than hierarchical oversight from . The communiqué urged all Anglican provinces to amend their constitutions and canons to eliminate references to being in communion with the See of , framing this as canonical independence to prioritize scriptural authority over institutional loyalty. GAFCON , led by Chairman Laurent Mbanda, Primate of , announced plans for a Global conference in , , from March 3 to 6, 2026, to consolidate this realignment and celebrate the emerging structure. This move builds on prior GAFCON statements, such as the 2008 Jerusalem Declaration, but marks a decisive break by refusing participation in any meetings convened by authorities and calling for recognition of GAFCON's council as the primary global leadership body. While not all GAFCON-affiliated provinces immediately enacted constitutional changes, the declaration prompted immediate affirmations from key in and elsewhere, where conservative predominate. For instance, provinces in , , , and —comprising the bulk of GAFCON's membership—signaled alignment, viewing the step as essential to preserve against perceived capitulations to secular cultural pressures on issues like marriage and sexuality. Critics within liberal Anglican circles, such as the , dismissed the action as forming a "rival network," but GAFCON countered that it preserves the historic held by the numerical of Anglicans globally. This event formalizes decades of tension, exacerbated by events like the Church of England's 2023 approval of blessings for same-sex unions, which GAFCON had previously rejected as incompatible with Anglican formularies.

Theological Principles

The Jerusalem Declaration and Scriptural Authority

The Jerusalem Declaration, adopted on June 29, 2008, at the inaugural (GAFCON) in , constitutes the doctrinal foundation of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA). Attended by 1,148 delegates, including 291 bishops from 27 Anglican provinces, the conference addressed perceived erosions of orthodoxy within the broader , particularly regarding scriptural fidelity. The declaration comprises 14 articles that reaffirm historic Anglican essentials, establishing criteria for fellowship among confessing Anglicans who prioritize biblical truth over institutional unity marred by innovation. Central to the declaration is its affirmation of scriptural authority in Article 2: "We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God written and to contain all things necessary for salvation. The Bible is to be translated, read, preached, taught and obeyed in its plain and canonical sense, respectful of the church’s historic and consensual reading." This article echoes Article VI of the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, which similarly declares Holy Scripture as containing "all things necessary to salvation" and sufficient against doctrines not grounded therein. By mandating obedience to Scripture's plain meaning—while honoring the interpretive consensus of the historic church—the declaration rejects subjective or revisionist exegeses that prioritize cultural accommodation over canonical text. Scripture's primacy extends throughout the declaration as the ultimate arbiter in matters of faith, order, and mission. Article 1 subordinates creeds and councils to biblical warrant, while Article 4 upholds the , , and Ordinal as expressions of doctrine "agreeing with God’s Word." The GFCA's governance, including its Primates' Council, operationalizes this by requiring member provinces and dioceses to assent to , thereby excluding entities that diverge on core biblical teachings, such as those on or . This framework contrasts with the Anglican Communion's Instruments of Communion, which the GFCA views as compromised by tolerance of views incompatible with scriptural norms. In practice, the declaration's scriptural emphasis has guided GFCA responses to controversies, reinforcing , discipleship, and ethical stances derived directly from biblical texts rather than synodical votes or secular ideologies. For instance, it undergirds commitments to the gospel's uniqueness (Article 7) and the church's prophetic witness against false teaching (Article 14), positioning the not merely as inspirational but as normatively authoritative for Anglican identity and reform.

Commitments on Marriage, Sexuality, and Orthodoxy

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA) articulates its commitments on marriage and sexuality primarily through Article 8 of the 2008 Jerusalem Declaration, affirming God's creation of humankind as male and female and the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the sole proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family. This position aligns with biblical accounts in Genesis 1–2 and Matthew 19:4–6, where marriage is depicted as a divine institution uniting husband and wife in mutual self-giving, excluding sexual relations outside this framework as contrary to God's design. The Declaration explicitly calls for repentance over communal and individual failures to uphold this standard, urging a renewed dedication to lifelong fidelity within heterosexual marriage and abstinence for those not married. These commitments extend to broader , viewing all deviations from biblical norms—including same-sex attraction and activity—as manifestations of human fallenness resulting from against , as described in Romans 1:21–27. GFCA emphasizes human dignity rooted in the imago Dei (Genesis 1:27), not in autonomous desires or behaviors, and calls believers to costly discipleship by denying sinful impulses in favor of Christ's redemptive path (Luke 9:23–24; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20). This stance reaffirms the 1998 Resolution I.10, which GFCA endorses as upholding Scripture's teaching that sexual expression belongs exclusively within male-female marriage while rejecting homosexual practice, a resolution passed by a vote of 526 to 70. On orthodoxy, GFCA's foundational documents prioritize the supreme authority of the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God, containing all things necessary for salvation and to be obeyed in their plain, sense, informed by the historic consensus but not subordinated to modern reinterpretations. Article 2 of the Jerusalem Declaration rejects any that dilutes biblical truth, particularly innovations in that undermine scriptural fidelity, such as redefinitions of or sexuality that contradict explicit teachings. Complementing this, Article 4 upholds the of Religion as authoritative for contemporary Anglicans, encapsulating core principles like justification by alone and the sufficiency of Scripture. Article 13 further commits GFCA to rejecting the leadership of any Anglican bodies or figures who deny orthodox in practice, praying for their while forming alternative structures to preserve confessional integrity. These intertwined commitments frame departures from traditional marriage and not merely as disagreements but as erosions of , constituting a "false " that impairs the church's witness and mission. GFCA's formation in , amid perceived doctrinal crises in the , underscores this linkage, positioning adherence to biblical norms on sexuality as essential to confessional Anglican identity. Subsequent reaffirmations, including resources, reinforce that true demands holistic obedience to Scripture over cultural accommodations, with sexual purity as a non-negotiable aspect of discipleship leading to eternal reward despite earthly cost.

Organizational Framework

Governance Bodies and Leadership

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) is governed primarily by its Primates Council, established in 2008 following the first in , which comprises primates from supporting provinces and provides strategic oversight and decision-making authority. The Council coordinates global activities, upholds the Jerusalem Declaration's commitments, and addresses doctrinal and structural challenges within , including recent resolutions in October 2025 to form a self-governing Global Anglican Communion independent of Canterbury's instruments. The Primates Council is chaired by Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, who assumed the role on April 21, 2023, with Miguel Uchoa of the Anglican Church in Brazil serving as vice-chairman since the same date. Current council members include primates such as Justin Badi Arama (), Stephen Kaziimba (), Henry Ndukuba (), Jackson Ole Sapit (), and Foley Beach (), representing provinces that account for the majority of the world's approximately 85 million Anglicans aligned with GAFCON's . In a 2025 communiqué, the Council resolved to elect a from among its members to preside over an expanded council of all member provinces, emphasizing conciliar governance rooted in biblical fidelity over centralized authority. Operational leadership is provided by the Secretariat, headed by General Secretary Paul Donison, elected in November 2023 and consecrated as a bishop in 2024, who oversees daily administration, including the Global Operations Manager and the Director of the GAFCON , which has conducted five training sessions since to form orthodox leaders. The structure is further supported by GAFCON Guarantors, who ensure continuity in vision and resource allocation, and Trustees responsible for legal and compliance matters, enabling coordinated action across 40 provinces and affiliated groups without formal ties to the Anglican Communion's recognized instruments. This framework prioritizes grassroots accountability and scriptural authority, as evidenced by mandates from GAFCON assemblies like the 2013 Communiqué.

Member Provinces and Affiliated Groups

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA) consists primarily of Anglican provinces whose primates actively support its mission to uphold biblical orthodoxy, particularly in response to perceived doctrinal liberalizations within the broader Anglican Communion. These provinces, numbering nine within the Anglican Communion plus the recognized Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), represent a significant portion of global Anglicanism, predominantly from Africa and other Global South regions. Their membership reflects a commitment to the Jerusalem Declaration of 2008, emphasizing scriptural authority on issues such as marriage and sexuality. The core member provinces include:
  • Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), led by Primate Henry Ndukuba, with over 18 million members as of recent estimates.
  • Church of Uganda, under Primate Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, encompassing approximately 11 million adherents.
  • Anglican Church of Kenya, headed by Primate Jackson Ole Sapit, serving around 5 million.
  • Episcopal Church of South Sudan, with Primate Justin Badi Arama, representing about 4 million.
  • Anglican Church of Rwanda, led by Primate Laurent Mbanda, with roughly 2 million members.
  • Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo, under Primate Bartholomeus Musisi, including over 1 million.
  • Church of the Province of Myanmar, led by Primate Stephen Than Myint, with several hundred thousand.
  • Episcopal/Anglican Province of Alexandria, headed by Primate Samy Shehata, covering North Africa and the Middle East.
  • Anglican Church of Chile, under Primate Tito Zavala (emeritus influence), with smaller but committed membership.
Additionally, the , formed in 2009 as an alternative to the and , is recognized by GFCA as a full province, led by Primate , with dioceses across the , , and Mexico, claiming over 1 million members. Affiliated groups extend GFCA's influence beyond full provinces, including proto-provinces and mission networks. The Anglican Network in Europe operates as a proto-province, facilitating orthodox Anglicanism in Europe outside traditional structures. In England, the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) functions as a church-planting society aligned with GFCA principles, supporting dioceses dissenting from Church of England policies. Other affiliates include diocesan fellowships in provinces like Australia (e.g., Sydney Diocese) and Brazil's Anglican Church, which maintain ties despite not being full members, alongside global initiatives such as the Global Church Planting Network for coordinated mission efforts. These groups enable localized expressions of GFCA commitments, often comprising individual dioceses, bishops, or organizations that endorse the fellowship's covenants.

Relations with the Anglican Communion

Fundamental Divergences in Authority and Doctrine

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) fundamentally diverges from the in its prioritization of Holy Scripture as the supreme and sole authoritative foundation for doctrine and ecclesial unity, viewing the as "God-breathed" and infallible, serving as the final arbiter above tradition, reason, or human institutions. This position, articulated in GAFCON's foundational documents such as the 2008 Jerusalem Statement, contrasts with the Communion's reliance on the so-called Instruments of Communion—the , , Anglican Consultative Council, and Primates' Meeting—which GAFCON deems impaired and rejects outright for failing to uphold biblical fidelity and instead accommodating doctrinal compromise. GAFCON argues that these instruments have enabled a departure from Anglican formularies like the , which affirm Scripture's sufficiency for salvation and church governance, by prioritizing relational unity over confessional orthodoxy. On doctrine, GAFCON insists on unwavering adherence to biblical norms, particularly defining marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman, and rejecting all forms of sexual immorality outside this framework, including same-sex unions and the ordination of clergy in such relationships. This stance reaffirms Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998), which the Communion has invoked but not uniformly enforced, allowing provinces like the and to authorize blessings and rites for same-sex partnerships since the early —actions GAFCON cites as evidence of a "false " that erodes the uniqueness of Christ and moral teachings derived directly from Scripture. In GAFCON's assessment, such innovations represent not mere diversity but a rejection of apostolic , prompting its formation in as a movement to restore -centered witness amid perceived in Communion leadership. These divergences extend to soteriology and christology, where GAFCON critiques pluralistic tendencies in the Communion for undermining Scripture's exclusive claims about salvation through Christ alone, as opposed to syncretistic or inclusivist interpretations that dilute evangelistic imperatives. By October 2025, GAFCON primates formalized this breach, declaring the Instruments obsolete and reordering Anglican fellowship around biblical communion, representing provinces with over 50 million members primarily from the Global South. This meta-shift underscores GAFCON's causal view that institutional authority must derive from doctrinal purity, not historical prestige, positioning it as a parallel structure unbound by Canterbury's symbolic primacy.

Responses to Instruments of Communion

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA), operating through its GAFCON initiatives, has systematically critiqued the Anglican Communion's Instruments of Communion—the , , Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and Primates' Meeting—for failing to enforce biblical authority and discipline revisionist departures from historic doctrine. This stance originated in the 2008 Jerusalem gathering, where GAFCON primates established a parallel Primates Council to address perceived institutional impotence in upholding Lambeth Resolution I.10 (1998), which declares homosexual practice incompatible with Scripture and affirms as the union of one man and one woman for life. In response to the , GFCA has highlighted its erosion of orthodoxy, particularly after the 2022 meeting, where noted the regrettable absence of a full reaffirmation of Resolution I.10 despite pastoral calls that diluted its binding force. GAFCON leaders have boycotted or selectively engaged such conferences, viewing them as platforms that prioritize consensus over scriptural fidelity, exemplified by the conference's allowance of bishops from provinces endorsing same-sex blessings. Regarding the , GFCA rejected recognition following the October 3, 2025, appointment of , citing her advocacy for blessing same-sex relationships and female episcopacy as violations of consecration vows and majority Anglican convictions on male-only oversight. This echoed the 2023 Commitment, which already diminished the see's instrumental role amid doctrinal drift. The ACC and Primates' Meeting face similar repudiation for enabling undisciplined innovation; GFCA provinces are directed to cease participation, withhold contributions, and forgo assistance from the ACC, while the official Primates' Meeting is deemed complicit in overturning I.10. Culminating these responses, the GAFCON Primates Council on October 16, 2025, announced a formal reordering of the into the "Global Anglican Communion," grounded solely in the per the Jerusalem Declaration and , supplanting the instruments with a new Council of Primates from assenting provinces. This structure restores, in their view, the Communion's original fellowship of autonomous provinces bound by shared confession rather than centralized oversight.

Controversies and Debates

Resistance to Liberal Innovations

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA) identifies liberal theological shifts, particularly those concerning and marriage, as fundamental threats to Anglican orthodoxy, prompting organized opposition through declarations and communiqués. Central to this stance is the Jerusalem Declaration of 2008, which asserts the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage as between one man and one woman and explicitly rejects the authority of Anglican leaders and churches that endorse contrary views, viewing such positions as denials of scriptural truth. This document, adopted at the inaugural GAFCON assembly, framed these innovations as symptomatic of broader erosion in biblical authority, galvanizing provinces representing over half of global Anglicans to prioritize confessional fidelity over institutional unity. GFCA's resistance intensified in response to specific actions, such as the 2003 consecration of , an openly gay bishop in the , which precipitated the movement's formation as a counter to perceived accommodation of homosexual practice. Subsequent critiques targeted the Church of England's Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process, culminating in 2023 Prayers of Love and Faith authorizing blessings for same-sex couples; the Kigali Commitment from GAFCON IV condemned this as , declaring that "despite repeated promises to uphold orthodox teaching, the and the majority of bishops have departed from it" and committing members to realign the Communion around gospel fidelity rather than Canterbury's leadership. Regional affiliates echoed this, with GAFCON Ireland in 2025 denouncing proposals for same-sex union blessings in the as incompatible with Scripture, urging bishops to reject them to preserve doctrinal integrity. While GFCA provinces exhibit diversity on women's —some endorsing it without doctrinal rupture—the fellowship subordinates this to unified opposition against sexuality-related changes, critiquing them as syncretistic concessions to that undermine and discipleship. In 2025, GFCA primates rejected the appointment of Dame as , citing her endorsement of same-sex blessings as disqualifying, while noting her historic role as the first woman in that office but prioritizing over gender precedents. This pattern reflects GFCA's causal view that unchecked innovations foster division and mission failure, evidenced by growth in Global South adherence amid Western declines.

Internal and External Criticisms

External criticisms of the (GFCA), commonly known through its GAFCON movement, primarily emanate from leaders and provinces within the broader aligned with more progressive theological positions. These critiques often center on accusations of fostering and undermining institutional unity, particularly following GAFCON's October 16, 2025, declaration rejecting the authority of the and the Instruments of Communion, which proponents framed as a "reset" to prioritize scriptural fidelity over historical structures. Presiding Bishop of the expressed grief over GAFCON ' decision to withdraw from the Communion, viewing it as a self-imposed separation that fragments global Anglican witness. Similarly, Episcopal News Service reported the move as an intent to establish a rival network, explicitly opposing policies welcoming LGBTQ+ inclusion adopted by provinces like the and . Such sources, often from Western liberal Anglican bodies, attribute the rift to GAFCON's resistance against doctrinal innovations on , portraying it as intransigent rather than principled . Critics from centrist Anglican perspectives, such as those in the Church Times, have raised concerns about GAFCON's development of parallel governance structures, including provincial branches and advisory networks of bishops, , and , which they argue preempts and promotes a separation within the Communion. A academic analysis in the Journal of Anglican Studies highlighted perceptions of GAFCON exhibiting a colonialist dynamic by sidelining indigenous Anglican voices in favor of a Global South-led but externally influenced agenda, though this claim overlooks GAFCON's composition of 70% Global South primates as of its assembly. These external voices, frequently from institutions with documented progressive biases in doctrinal matters, frame GAFCON's scriptural emphasis—rooted in the Jerusalem Declaration's rejection of impaired communion over issues like same-sex blessings—as divisive rather than preservative of historic Anglican formularies. Internal criticisms within orthodox Anglican circles are less prevalent but focus on strategic and ecclesiological approaches. Some conservative commentators, including bloggers affiliated with Anglican networks, affirm GAFCON's doctrinal stands against revisionism on marriage and sexuality yet critique its solutions as overly packaged and insufficiently attuned to reforming existing Communion instruments from within. For instance, a 2023 analysis from Anglican Down Under acknowledged valid grievances with the Instruments' failure to uphold biblical communion but argued GAFCON's alternative structures risk entrenching division without addressing root causes like episcopal overreach. Church Society publications have similarly challenged GAFCON to confront its own internal tests of unity, such as sustaining momentum post-foundational conferences amid varying provincial commitments, implying potential overreliance on charismatic leadership rather than covenantal mechanisms. These intra-orthodox reservations, drawn from evangelical Anglican sources, emphasize that while GAFCON correctly identifies causal failures in liberal doctrinal drift, its confrontational posture may hinder broader conservative coalescence without compromising scriptural primacy.

Global Impact and Reception

Representation and Growth in the Global South

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA), operating through the GAFCON movement, draws its core representation from Anglican provinces in , , and , where conservative doctrinal adherence predominates. As of 2025, GAFCON encompasses nine provinces led by primates—primarily from the Global South—including , , , , , the Democratic Republic of Congo, (encompassing and ), , and —alongside affiliated entities such as the and the Anglican Church in . These entities form the backbone of GAFCON's Primates' Council, which coordinates global orthodox . This representation aligns with the demographic reality of , where Global South provinces hold the majority of the Communion's estimated 85 million active members, a figure GAFCON claims to embody up to 85% through its aligned churches. Provinces like (with over 18 million adherents) and (exceeding 10 million) exemplify this concentration, far outnumbering Western counterparts and reflecting a southward shift in Anglican vitality since the late . GAFCON's structure prioritizes these regions' , enabling decisions that resonate with their theological priorities, such as scriptural authority on and marriage. Growth within GFCA mirrors the explosive expansion of in the Global South, driven by , high birth rates, and conversions amid socioeconomic challenges. The broader Communion has doubled in size over recent decades, adding roughly one million members annually to approach 100 million by 2025, with over 70% of growth occurring outside and . GFCA has capitalized on this by fostering —evident in events like the 2013 (1,300 delegates from 38 nations) and 2022 assembly—and supporting networks such as the Anglican Mission in for outreach from Southern bases. In alone, provinces like and have seen sustained numerical increases through revivalist movements emphasizing personal faith and moral orthodoxy, bolstering GFCA's influence. This trajectory underscores GFCA's role in sustaining Anglican fidelity amid perceived Western doctrinal erosion, with Global South asserting leadership in 2025 declarations forming a rival Global Anglican Communion structure. While self-reported figures warrant scrutiny for potential overstatement, independent demographic trends confirm the orthodox wing's dominance in high-growth areas, positioning GFCA as a vehicle for mission amid .

Achievements in Mission and Leadership Formation

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) has prioritized leadership formation through its Bishops Training Institute (BTI), established in 2016 to equip episcopal leaders with biblical principles for ministry and mission. Initiated by GAFCON during a meeting in on April 18, 2016, the program held its inaugural conference in , , in October 2016, training 26 bishops from five countries. Subsequent gatherings, including events in 2018 and 2019, expanded to incorporate bishops' wives and international faculty, fostering peer accountability modeled on Proverbs 27:17 ("as iron sharpens iron"). By 2024, the institute had conducted seven conferences, training a total of 163 newly consecrated bishops and their spouses, primarily from African provinces but also including participants from the , , and . An alumni network sustains ongoing collaboration, prayer, and information exchange, contributing to a pipeline of orthodox leaders committed to scriptural authority in governance and outreach. In mission endeavors, GAFCON's Global Mission Partnership, formalized following the 2018 Jerusalem conference, coordinates cross-cultural initiatives across seven regional teams covering , , , , , , and unreached peoples. This effort supports reciprocal , including practical aid such as motorbikes for rural outreach in and in Ireland and . The partnership's 2018 gathering in united 74 next-generation leaders for strategic planning and prayer, emphasizing empowerment of local believers for global proclamation. Complementing these, GAFCON launched a worldwide Network after the 2018 conference to share best practices and resources, enabling expansions like the Anglican Mission in (AMiE), which provides oversight for orthodox fellowships and has reported sustained growth in congregations as of October 2025. These initiatives align with GAFCON's self-described role in renewing Anglican mission, representing provinces that account for the majority of the Communion's active membership and focusing on in unreached areas, , and emerging leaders.

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