Conservative Anglicans challenge Archbishop of Canterbury with rival leadership
The Most Rev. Dr Laurent Mbanda, newly elected chairman of GAFCON and Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, says a prayer after being announced as the new leader during the Global Anglican Future Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, on March 5, 2026.
An influential group of conservative Anglicans announced on Thursday the establishment of a new council to lead the global Anglican Communion, in a direct challenge to the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury as she is about to be installed.
The move by the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) - which brings together conservative churches mainly from Africa and Asia and claims to represent a majority of the world's Anglicans - highlights a deepening rift within the Church after years of tension over theological and social issues.
