GAFCON Declares War on Canterbury: 347 Bishops Break Away to Form the True Anglican Communion

GAFCON Declares Itself the True Anglican Communion and Cuts Ties With Canterbury

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) has officially declared itself the authentic Anglican Communion, marking a seismic break from the historic structures under the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria from March 3 to 6, 2026, 347 Anglican bishops and 121 lay and clerical leaders from 27 provinces issued the Abuja Affirmation, a sweeping declaration of "principled disengagement" from Canterbury led institutions.

Archbishop Laurent Mbanda was elected Chair of the newly formed Global Anglican Council, with Archbishop Miguel Uchoa serving as Deputy Chair and Bishop Paul Donison as General Secretary. The council replaces the former GAFCON Primates' Council.

We are not leaving the Anglican Communion. We are returning it to its roots.

Archbishop Laurent Mbanda said, comparing the movement's efforts to the historic reforms of Thomas Cranmer.

At the heart of the split is a theological dispute over the embrace of same sex blessings by recent Archbishops of Canterbury. GAFCON leaders say the "moral and spiritual authority" of the See of Canterbury has been "severely compromised" by these decisions.

The appointment of Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury in January 2026 further deepened the divide. GAFCON leaders view this as another departure from orthodox Anglican teaching.

The Abuja Affirmation now mandates that all leaders within the Global Anglican Communion withdraw from Canterbury sponsored gatherings, including the Lambeth Conference and the Primates' Meetings. Continuing to attend, the declaration states, would "legitimize false doctrine."

Global Anglican Leaders Break From Canterbury in Historic Church Split

GAFCON leaders frame this not as a schism but as a "reordering from within" Anglicanism. The Global Anglican Communion was first launched in October 2025 as an alternative structure for orthodox Anglicans who reject what they see as theological liberalism within the Canterbury led Communion.

The movement represents a majority of the world's practicing Anglicans, particularly from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where the church is growing rapidly while declining in the West.

The Crusader's Opinion

This is what faithfulness looks like. When the institution you love abandons the Word of God, you do not sit quietly and pretend everything is fine. You stand up. You speak the truth. And if necessary, you walk away from the table they corrupted.

These bishops from Africa, Asia, and the Global South are doing what Western church leaders have been too cowardly to do for decades. They are choosing Scripture over social approval. Canterbury chose the world. GAFCON chose Christ. It is that simple.

The real Anglican Communion is not defined by a building in England. It is defined by fidelity to the Gospel. And right now, the Global South is carrying that torch while the West watches it burn.

Take Action

• Learn more about the GAFCON movement and the Abuja Affirmation at gafcon.org
• Support faithful Anglican churches in the Global South through The Shepherd's Shield
• Contact your local Anglican or Episcopal diocese and ask them where they stand on the authority of Scripture
• Share this story with fellow Christians to raise awareness about the fight for orthodox faith within global Anglicanism
• Pray for the leaders of the Global Anglican Communion as they navigate this historic transition and remain faithful under pressure