A breakaway Anglican coalition is meeting this week in Abuja, Nigeria, to select a rival leader to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev Sarah Mullally, the first female to spiritually lead the Church.
The meeting comes weeks before her official installation at Canterbury Cathedral.
Global Anglican Future Conference, known as GAFCON, describes itself as representing “authentic Anglicans, guarding God’s gospel.” Members have gathered at Vining Memorial Church Cathedral for the four-day meeting. Originally formed in 2008, the group was set up in response to the Church of England seemingly relaxing its stance on same-sex blessings.
GAFCON plans to elect its own primate to act as a leading bishop and “first among equals,” in direct challenge to the authority of the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury.
Archbishop Sarah's appointment has drawn mixed responses from the global Church, with many conservative Anglicans firmly believing in male headship.
However, whilst GAFCON asserts that it represents the true global Church, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and Kenya’s first female bishop, Emily Onyango, welcomed Archbishop Sarah's appointment.
GAFCON previously rejected the leadership of Archbishop Justin Welby over proposals to bless same-sex couples – a perspective which Archbishop Sarah is also open to.
The group's general secretary, Rt Rev Paul Donison, has described the meeting as a "kairos moment".
"Now is the moment to gather together under the Word of God, to prayerfully discern what the Lord’s future for us looks like as we reorder our beloved Communion," he said.
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo said: "The Anglican Communion is a global family of churches, present in over 165 countries around the world... We recognise that there's pain and division in the family, but Christ calls his Church to be one.
"We have read of GAFCON's intention to pursue alternative approaches to leadership and electing a Chairman. But in the Anglican Communion, decisions about how we define the communion, or approaches to leadership must be taken through the official 'Instruments of Communion', and not outside of them," he added.
"That's why the Anglican Communion Office has been supporting a vital piece of work by the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order. The commission has shaped The Nairobi Cairo Proposals an important theological paper that relates to questions of unity, Anglican structures and achieving more collegial approaches to leadership... We continue to invite and encourage Anglican Member churches and Anglican groups to engage with this conversation. Only by working together and not apart, can we arrive at a deeper place of communion and unity."
Premier Christian News has approached GAFCON for further comment.