final approval<\/strong> from the political prime minister (a secular socialist) and subsequently from King Charles III, nominal head of the Anglican Church.<\/p>\nThis overlap between politics and religion<\/strong> is part of the imprint of Anglicanism, born in the sixteenth century from a decision by King Henry VIII<\/strong>, who broke with Rome after the papal refusal to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.<\/p>\nMullally\u2019s appointment has already sparked a major debate and initial divisions. At 63, married and mother of two, her election is the culmination of a decades-long journey following the introduction in the Anglican Church of female ordination, first to the priesthood (1992) and later also to the episcopate (2014).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
GAFCON Anglicans do not recognize the Primate<\/h2>\n
UCCR<\/strong> has been in contact with the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON)<\/strong><\/mark>, one of the most influential bodies of Anglican bishops and leaders, which did not receive Mullally\u2019s election very well. In fact, they have \u201creceived it with pain\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\nThe reasons, explained to us by Reverend Jodie McNeill<\/strong>, honorary canon of St Andrew\u2019s Cathedral (Sydney), referring us to the relevant statement, are that the appointment \u201cabandons Anglicans<\/strong> around the world, since the Church of England has chosen a leadership that will further divide an already divided Communion\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\nThe Archbishop of Canterbury<\/strong> indeed serves as Primate of all England but also as the spiritual and moral leader of the Anglican Communion worldwide, and the See of Canterbury is one of the four pillars<\/strong> of the Anglican Communion alongside the Lambeth Conference, the Primates\u2019 Meeting, and the Anglican Consultative Council.<\/p>\nAfter this appointment, however, GAFCON can no longer \u201crecognize<\/strong> the Archbishop of Canterbury as the Instrument of Communion or as first among equals\u201d of the world Primates<\/i>.<\/p>\nAccording to the Reverend, \u201cthe majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires an exclusively male episcopate<\/strong>\u201d<\/i>. Added to this is Sarah Mullally\u2019s \u201cprogressive\u201d stance, who \u201chas repeatedly promoted non-biblical and revisionist teachings<\/strong> regarding marriage and sexual morality\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\nGAFCON itself therefore considers itself ready to assume leadership of the Anglican Communion and from March 3 to 6, 2026<\/strong> has convened all orthodox Anglican bishops<\/strong> worldwide in Abuja (Nigeria).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Anglo-Catholics remain faithful to tradition<\/h2>\n
Yesterday UCCR<\/strong> also spoke with Father Tom Middleton<\/strong>, director of Forward in Faith<\/i><\/mark><\/strong>, an Anglo-Catholic association within the Church of England also present in Scotland, founded in 1992 precisely following the approval by the General Synod of the ordination of female priests.<\/p>\nFather Middleton explained to us that although \u201cthis appointment is the natural development<\/strong> of measures already introduced in the Church of England\u201d<\/i>, Forward in Faith<\/i> recognizes Bishop Mullally as \u201cthe true and legitimate<\/strong> holder of such office\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\nTheir commitment remains, however, to \u201cremain faithful<\/strong> to the teaching of the universal Church\u201d<\/i>, continuing \u201cto offer sacramental guarantees in line<\/strong> with our understanding of historic apostolic succession\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\nThe underlying intention is to safeguard internal unity<\/strong>, even if \u201con these matters we look<\/strong> to the great Churches of the West, Rome, and of the East, the Orthodox. Only in this way do we think we can remain faithful to the universality of Christianity\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Between tensions and the will for unity<\/h2>\n
On one side the concern for the Anglican drift and on the other the ambition to save the Anglican Communion<\/strong> while continuing to remain faithful to apostolic succession.<\/p>\nA position certainly not easy, made even more complex<\/strong> by the recent appointment of Mullally.<\/p>\nIn the Catholic context, besides the formal congratulations to the new Anglican Primate, the intention is naturally to maintain dialogue<\/strong> between Churches even in the absence of common doctrinal visions on crucial matters.<\/p>\nIn this regard, Cardinal Vincent Nichols<\/strong>, Catholic Primate of England and Wales, commented<\/a><\/em><\/strong> on Mullally\u2019s appointment promising the prayer of the Catholic community, adding that \u201ctogether we will respond to Jesus\u2019 request: \u2018That we may all be one<\/strong>\u2019\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"UCCR talks with Anglican groups on appointing a woman leader, sparking debate and tensions in the Anglican Church.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":62239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":24,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[2000,2003,1519,2001,2002,2004],"class_list":["post-62238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-anglican-church","tag-anglican-primates","tag-anglicans","tag-forward-in-faith","tag-global-anglican-future-conference","tag-sarah-mullally"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Sarah](\"https:\/\/www.uccronline.it\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Sarah-Mullally.webp\")
<\/p>\n