Gafcon's G26 conference: What's the agenda?

The Gafcon Global G26 Conference begins tomorrow (3 March) in Abuja, Nigeria, lasting until Friday (6 March). en will be providing coverage of the conference, with some introductory key details below.

What is Gafcon?

The Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) is an international movement and fellowship of orthodox Anglican churches, bishops, clergy, and laity united around the historic Christian faith as received in the Anglican tradition.

Gafcon was founded in 2008 in Jerusalem, amid growing concern that certain provinces of the Anglican Communion were departing from orthodox Christian teaching - particularly on matters of sexuality, marriage, and the authority of Scripture. Over 1,000 orthodox Anglicans were present at this initial gathering.

Although Gafcon's primary representation is of actively worshipping orthodox Anglicans across the Global South (Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania), it has growing communities in Europe - as well as North America and Australia.

What is Gafcon's presence in the UK and Europe like?

Gafcon has authorised and supported the Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) which was established in 2020 by the Gafcon Primates’ Council as a “proto-province” (an initial provincial structure).  ANiE has three "convocations". These are:

1. AMiE (the Anglian Mission in England). Works in England. Led by Bishop Tim Davies. It has c.36 congregations.
2. ACE (the Anglican Convocation Europe). Led by Bishop Andy Lines. It has c.24 congregations.
3. AMC Europe (Anglican Missionary Congregations). Joined in 2024. Led by Bishop Dr. Gideon Ilechukwu. It has c.56 congregations.

ACE includes both “egalitarians” and “complementarians” whereas AMiE holds that “only men should be ordained as presbyters”.

Why the Global G26 Conference?

Bishops, clergy and laity from across the Gafcon fellowship will be gathering for prayer, theological reflection, theological planning, and fellowship. Gafcon has described the Global G26 Conference as "the movement's most significant gathering", being held periodically to "renew common purpose and address the challenges facing orthodox Anglicanism worldwide".

The choice of Nigeria as the conference's destination "honours the Global South's central role in the future of Anglican Christianity", says Gafcon, referring to the fact that the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) is the largest Anglican province in the world, with an estimated 20 million members. "Abuja, as the Federal Capital Territory, provides both the logistical infrastructure and symbolic significance of gathering at the heart of the continent where Anglicanism is most vibrant and rapidly growing," writes Gafcon.

The Martyrs' Day statement

The Martyrs' Day statement, of 16 October 2025, issued shortly after the announcement of the appointment of Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury in October 2025 (see en news article here), was described by Gafcon as an affirmation that "faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ must come before institutional preservation, cultural pressure, or worldly approval". en's "explainer" following the statement can be read here, for more information.

Leading up to the G26 Conference, Gafcon reflected on the statement: "Building on Gafcon’s founding mandate from Jerusalem 2008, the Primates declared that the long-anticipated future for faithful Anglicans has now arrived.

"Since the revisionist trajectory of the Communion’s leadership has not been reversed, Gafcon moved to formally reorder the Anglican Communion itself.

"Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, Gafcon Chairman and Archbishop of the Church of Rwanda closed with the defining phrase: 'We have not left the Anglican Communion; we are the Anglican Communion.'

"The statement positioned Gafcon not as a splinter movement but as the legitimate continuation of historic Anglicanism."

The G26 Conference will be the first gathering since the statement was issued. Gafcon continues: "This statement has been the theological and structural anchor for everything leading into G26 in Abuja — where the renewed Global Primates Council will elect a Chairman on March 4, 2026 and will be announced on March 5 to serve as primus inter pares ["first among equals"] to replace the role traditionally held by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The plenary speakers and consultation groups [are] all tasked with unpacking and responding to it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​"

In a prayer update, Gafcon wrote: "We pray that this gathering will be marked by humility, unity, and courage as we seek to guard God’s gospel and obey the Lord’s will for the future."

What will be discussed?

The key agenda areas for the conference are as follows:

• Global Anglican Communion (GAC) - Reviewing the Global Anglican Communion Transition Report. The name "Global Anglican Communion" (GAC) does not refer to the existing worldwide Anglican Communion headed up by the Archbishop of Canterbury; rather, it is the new name by which Gafcon has chosen to refer to itself as of October 16th 2025.
• Theological and spiritual renewal - Bible exposition, prayer, and worship
• Ecclesiastical leadership - reviewing the state of the Global Anglican Communion and Gafcon's role.
• Global mission - evangelism, church planting, and cross-cultural witness across the GAC.
• Structural development - strengthening the GAC’s global governance and provincial relationships.

Is Gafcon the only game in town for evangelicals?

Not quite. Gafcon is different from the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA). Both are Biblically orthodox on sexuality, but Gafcon includes new Anglican groupings outside the traditional Anglican Communion. It also aims to replace the existing Anglican Communion. Currently, by contrast, the GSFA works within the existing Anglican Communion seeking to reform it.

There is some overlap in memberships between the two groupings. More details on the relationship between the two can be read here and here. And an analysis of the GSFA's recent Primates' meeting in relation to Gafcon can be read here.

Meanwhile, in the Church of England, many evangelicals are part of "The Alliance" - a "network of networks" including evangelicals, Anglo-Catholics, charismatics and others committed to maintaining Biblical orthodoxy on sexuality within the CofE and maintaining a guaranteed place within the denomination for those who uphold it.

en will be providing coverage of the Gafcon Global G26 conference on our website. Check back regularly for more information.