Analysis: After GAFCON IV, what now?

Around 1,300 delegates attended the fourth global GAFCON gathering of orthodox Anglicans from across the world. It took place in Kgali Rwanda. Susie Leafe, Director of the Anglican Futures organisation, here offers her analysis:

It was said that those gathered represented most of the world’s worshipping Anglicans (estimated to be around 85%). There is a diversity of culture, tradition, language and custom which gives a richness to proceedings and the shared faith in the Lord Jesus Christ brings a closeness to every personal encounter. Some speak of it being a foretaste of heaven.

Jason Ward, a church minister and first-time delegate to GAFCON, spoke of wanting to bottle GAFCON and take it home to his congregation. ‘I have been deeply impacted, just by having incredible fellowship here,’ he said. 

When asked what he would put in such a bottle, Archbishop Foley Beach, the retiring Chair of the GAFCON Primates suggested, ‘The teaching of the Word of God; it’s just been phenomenal. And then gathering together with people, 52 nations of people. Every time you run into someone from somewhere else and you share with folks and hear their struggles but also celebrate their walk with Christ.’

The understatement of brothers and sisters in other parts of the world should also be squeezed in that bottle. One clergyman spoke of baptising 2000 people in one week, reflecting that at the end of that he was tired. Bishops from Northern Nigeria spoke of members of their congregations being kidnapped and burying those killed by Boko Haram. One was asked how others could support people in such settings. Instead of listing a series of requests, he responded by saying, ‘Persecution makes better Christians of us – a Christianity that costs nothing is not Biblical.’

But alongside the worship, Bible-teaching, fellowship and learning from one another there was serious work to do. Every GAFCON produces a Statement – to express the mind of the conference and this involves careful listening, writing, consultation, and revision. 

The 2023 Statement, The Kigali Commitment, has the potential to be the most significant. In summary it says:

● ‘the Instruments of Communion have failed to maintain true communion based on the Word of God and shared faith in Christ’;

● the ‘leadership role’ in the Anglican Communion of the Archbishop of Canterbury has been rendered ‘indefensible’ by the failure of ‘successive’ Archbishops of Canterbury ‘to guard the faith’ by exercising appropriate discipline ‘compounded by’ Justin Welby ‘welcoming the provision of liturgical resources to bless practices contrary to Scripture’;

● consequently, the Archbishop of Canterbury is no longer recognised as an ‘Instrument of Communion’, the ‘first among equals’ of the Primates;

● GAFCON and the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) will ‘collaborate’ in the ‘urgent matter’ of ‘resetting the Communion’ by creating for ‘orthodox Anglicans worldwide’ ‘a clear identity, a global “spiritual home” of which they can be proud, and a strong leadership structure,’ in which ‘Anglican identity is defined by’ ‘doctrine’ and ‘not by recognition from the See of Canterbury.’

[George Conger has explained on the Anglican Ink website: ‘The two movements have long shared a common view that the Communion is no longer working, but have differed as to how to respond to the crisis. While the GSFA bishops accepted Archbishop Justin Welby’s invitation to attend the 2022 Lambeth Conference, GAFCON boycotted the assembly of Anglican bishops.’]

This was not a time of celebration, however. When The Kigali Commitment was read out to the Conference it was received in silence, not because there was not agreement but because there was an acknowledgement of the need to grieve the past and the responsibility of re-setting the future.

Those from the UK returned home knowing that they are not alone. The Statement included these two paragraphs.

‘In view of the current crisis, we reiterate our support for those who are unable to remain in the Church of England because of the failure of its leadership. We rejoice in the growth of the Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) and other GAFCON-aligned networks.

‘We also continue to stand with and pray for those faithful Anglicans who remain within the Church of England. We support their efforts to uphold Biblical orthodoxy and to resist breaches of Resolution I.10 [from the 1998 gathering of Anglican Communion leaders which took an orthodox view on sexual and moral matters].’

It is now our responsibility to ensure we bring something of the faithful, joyful, generosity of GAFCON into our own congregations so we can proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations.