Why Church of Uganda rejects Mullally’s appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, has expressed concern over the appointment of Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury.

In a statement issued on October 3, Archbishop Kaziimba was particularly concerned about appointing a person who has reportedly supported behaviours that contradict the biblical doctrines.

Biblical doctrines of marriage define it as a permanent, lifelong, heterosexual, and monogamous covenant between one man and one woman, initiated by God.

"I am writing to share the sad news that the Rt Rev Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, has been appointed as the next Archbishop of Canterbury. 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," he states.

He added, "As a founding member of Gafcon, the Church of Uganda considers this appointment to further deepen the tear in the fabric of the Anglican Communion that began in 2003 with the TEC consecration as Bishop of a divorced father of two living in a same-sex relationship. The tear in the fabric of the Anglican Communion has now reached the highest level of the Communion. There appears to be no repentance. Make no mistake."

He described the contentious decision as a grievous decision at the highest levels of the Church of England to separate itself from the vast majority of the global Anglican Communion.

He extended his prayers to those in the Church of England who are disillusioned by the appointment and hand of fellowship to them through Gafcon and the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans.

"As we declared in our 2023 Gafcon statement from Kigali, we no longer recognize the Archbishop of Canterbury as having global authority and the office is certainly no longer an “Instrument of Communion,” he added.

“With this appointment, the Archbishop of Canterbury is reduced simply to the Primate of All England," he said.

He assured Christians in the Church of Uganda that, through Gafcon and the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, they are part of a worldwide communion of Anglicans who continue to proclaim the historic and Biblical faith of Anglicanism – faithfulness to Christ and submission to the authority of Scripture.

He explained that the future of Gospel-centred mission in the Anglican tradition is bright, noting that: “The fields are ripe for harvest; we pray for labourers to go into the harvest.”

As we declared at our 2018 Gafcon meeting in Jerusalem, “We will proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations.”

Uganda's Anti- Homosexuality Act criminalises homosexuality and same-sex marriages.

Mullally was appointed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury on October 3, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England in 1400 years' history.

She is expected to be installed next year in March.