By KT Reporter
The Most Rev. Stephen Kaziimba, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda (COU), has aligned with a swelling tide of conservative Anglican voices worldwide to denounce the Church of England’s appointment of the Rt. Rev. Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.
In his communication to the Christians of the Church of Uganda, Kaziimba branded the appointment as a “grievous decision” that irreparably severs ties with biblical orthodoxy and the global Communion’s majority.
“Our sadness about this appointment is her support and advocacy for unbiblical positions on sexuality and same-sex marriage that reveal her departure from the historic Anglican positions that uphold the authority of Scripture for faith and life,” his statement reads in part.
He further decried Mullally’s elevation as a deepening of the “tear” initiated in 2003 with The Episcopal Church’s (TEC) consecration of Gene Robinson, an openly gay bishop.
Kaziimba’s statement, come hours after a unified rebuke from the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), amplifies a chorus of sorrow and separation from Africa and beyond, signaling what critics call the “final unraveling” of the 85-million-member Anglican fabric.
He lamented the lack of repentance, positioning the Church of England as self-isolated from the vast majority of the Communion, and reaffirmed GAFCON’s 2023 Kigali declaration stripping the Archbishop of global authority and reducing the role to mere “Primate of All England.”
Kaziimba’s voice joins a rapid-fire barrage from GAFCON’s leadership, including Chairman Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of Rwanda, who declared the appointment “with sorrow” and a clear sign that “Canterbury has relinquished its authority to lead.”
Archbishop Kaziimba noted that he was optimistic about the future of Gospel-centered mission within the Anglican tradition.
He asserted that the flame of biblical orthodoxy burns brightly, sustained by a global network of churches committed to guarding the historic faith.
“We want to assure our Christians in the Church of Uganda that, through Gafcon and the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, we are part of a worldwide communion of Anglicans who continue toproclaim the historic and Biblical faith of Anglicanism – faithfulness to Christ and submission to the authority of Scripture. The future of Gospel-centred mission in our Anglican tradition is bright,” he added.
Since GAFCON’s 2008 founding in Jerusalem, Uganda has led opposition to Western Anglican reforms, severing ties with The Episcopal Church over sexuality issues.
For decades, Uganda has repeatedly threatened to reject the Church of England, which introduced the Gospel to them in the 19th century, over its “unbiblical” teachings, especially on homosexuality, sparking ongoing clashes between their primates.
At his 2020 enthronement, Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba directly told then-Archbishop Justin Welby, who was present, that Uganda would shun Canterbury’s leadership if it persisted in promoting such doctrines.
In 2023, after the Church of England’s General Synod voted to permit priests to bless same-sex marriages and civil partnerships, while upholding the ban on church weddings for same-sex couples, the Church of Uganda initiated formal steps to break from Canterbury, the global seat of Anglicanism, citing the decision as a violation of biblical principles.
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