As the Church of England decides whether to adopt same-sex marriage rites, the Global South group of Anglican churches question whether the English church can continue to lead the Anglican Communion.
“Would the Archbishop of Canterbury be able to lead the Anglican Communion while his own Province [national church] goes against the mind of “many Provinces” in regard to this divisive issue?” asks Mouneer Hanna Anis, a leader in the Global South Fellowship Of Anglican Churches (GSFA). Anis, formerly Archbishop of Alexandria and Bishop of Egypt began his theological training through Moore College, and was formerly the head of the Global South Primates [national leaders] Committee.
The global south group is similar to the conservative GAFCON network which is better known in Australia and represents a majority of the world’s Anglicans.
Referring to an English bishop who declared his support for same-sex marriage, Anis writes” While many Anglicans around the world are uncertain about the future of the Communion which suffers from a major ‘ecclesial deficit’, the Bishop of Oxford wrote this month, a shocking essay in which he suggests that the Church of England should allow same-sex marriage services. This suggestion would be another unilateral decision by a Province that is supposed to lead the Anglican Communion! It will not only contribute to the current divisions, but it will badly affect the mission of other Provinces in the Global South.”
Anis goes on to suggest that if the Church of England changes its position on same-sex marriage the Anglican communion could break up.
“Such suggestion, if it is carried out, will definitely cause ‘pain and distress’ to millions of faithful Anglicans around the world. If the Church of England went ahead with same-sex marriage and ignored the impact on the mission of other Provinces, it would disqualify herself from leading the Communion which will be replaced by several smaller Communions and congregational churches.”
Anis concludes by asking:
- Should each Anglican Province decide for herself what is right, and what is wrong in the area of faith and order? Or, we should follow the principle; “what affects all should be decided by all” that respects interdependence?
- Diversity, should it be unlimited? Or, [do] we need a framework for our diversity?
Image: Global South leader Mouneer Anis formerly Archbishop of Alexandria and Bishop of Egypt Credit: Diocese of Egypt