The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has officially severed ties with the Church in Wales following the appointment of Bishop Cherry Vann, an openly gay cleric, as the Archbishop of Wales.
This announcement was made by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, during the opening session of the Church Conference of Chancellors, Registrars, and Legal Officers held in Abuja on Tuesday.
In his address, Archbishop Ndukuba expressed deep disapproval over the Church of Wales' decision, labelling it a “blatant departure from biblical truth” and warning that it reflects a growing trend of “revisionism” among Western churches.
“A few days ago, the media went awash with the news of the action of the revisionists in the Western Church… These individuals have not relented from their evil agenda; rather, they have intensified it,” the Primate declared.
He condemned the election of Archbishop Vann, calling it an “abomination” and “unbiblical.” He explained that although she was nurtured in the faith from her early days as an acolyte to a deaconess, it was only upon becoming a bishop that she publicly identified as a lesbian and began to promote her position.
“We reject the election of the Right Reverend Cherry Vann as the Archbishop of Wales,” Ndukuba stated firmly. “Just as the Church of Nigeria took steps after the election of Gene Robinson in the United States, we are severing every tie and relationship with the Church of Wales.”
The development marks a significant moment in global Anglican relations, underlining the growing divide between the conservative and liberal arms of the church over issues of sexuality and doctrine.
