Conservative Anglicans Oppose First Female Archbishop

Conservative Anglicans are pressing their opposition to the nomination of Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, a significant leadership position in the Church of England. This nomination was announced on March 25, and Mullally, a 63-year-old former nurse, is set to become the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church, which has a presence in 165 countries.

The opposition is spearheaded by Laurent Mbanda, the Archbishop of Rwanda and chairman of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), and Henri Ndukuba, the Archbishop of Nigeria. They, along with other conservative leaders, criticize the idea of a woman leading the Church of England, which is considered the mother church of the 85 million-strong global Anglican Communion.

GAFCON, which describes itself as a global movement to uphold orthodox Anglicanism, has expressed strong opposition to Mullally's appointment, asserting that biblical teachings require male leadership in episcopacy.