In a ceremony held on Wednesday, the Most Rev Dame Sarah Mullally was officially installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury at Canterbury Cathedral. The event, attended by many, marked a significant moment in the history of the Anglican Communion.
The Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Rev David Monteith, opened the proceedings by welcoming attendees to what he described as a “truly global gathering.” He then proceeded to install Archbishop Mullally in the Chair of St Augustine, offering a prayer for her to be “an instrument of communion, and fellowship in Christ within the Anglican Communion” through God’s grace.
However, the absence of several high-ranking figures was notable. Out of the forty-two autonomous provinces within the Anglican Communion, sixteen were not represented, indicating a significant divide. While twenty-four primates were present, along with representatives from Pakistan and Burundi, Jerusalem, Melanesia, and the Acting Primate of Papua New Guinea sent apologies due to travel challenges attributed to the Gulf conflict.
Conspicuously absent were representatives from twelve provinces: Alexandria, Chile, Congo, Indian Ocean, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Rwanda, SE Asia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. These provinces are led by members of Gafcon and the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA), groups that have long expressed dissent within the Communion.
For over two decades, the GSFA has advocated for adherence to what they consider the true teachings of the Anglican faith. They have called for the Anglican Communion, including the Church of England, to align strictly with God’s word, viewing some provinces as having “departed from the historic faith passed down from the Apostles.” This stance has led to their refusal to recognize the Archbishop of Canterbury as the global Communion’s primary leader.
Recent developments have intensified this division. A month prior, Gafcon announced from Abuja, Nigeria, a “shift of the stewardship of the Anglican Communion from the Canterbury Instruments to the Global Anglican Communion.” This move is aimed at establishing a newly formed Global Anglican Council, which they believe can uphold true communion through adherence to scriptural teachings.
While Wednesday’s installation was rich with tradition and ceremony, it highlighted the ongoing challenges within the Anglican world. The absence of representatives from a significant portion of the Communion underscores a search for new pathways to maintain the “fellowship of Christ within the Anglican Communion” outside the traditional structures of Canterbury.
Susie Leafe is director of Anglican Futures, an organisation that provides pastoral and practical support to orthodox Anglicans.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
