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The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has formally ended its ecclesiastical relationship with the Church in Wales in response to the recent appointment of Bishop Cherry Vann, an openly lesbian cleric, as the Archbishop of Wales.
In a public statement dated August 3, 2025, and endorsed by the Primate, Most Reverend Henry C. Ndukuba, the Church of Nigeria made its position clear, citing the decision as a fundamental violation of scriptural principles regarding Christian leadership and morality.
According to the Church, the elevation of a practising lesbian to such a high spiritual office signals a direct challenge to biblical doctrine and longstanding Anglican values. Primate Ndukuba described the development as a “rejection of divine order” and a “departure from the faith handed down through generations.”
The Nigerian Church declared that it would no longer maintain communion with the Church in Wales, describing the situation as a “state of impaired communion.” This effectively suspends all formal partnerships, worship collaborations, and ministerial engagements between the two churches.
“Our commitment to the authority of the Holy Scriptures and to the historical tenets of the Christian faith compels us to act,” the statement read. “We can no longer walk together with a church that has embraced teachings contrary to God’s Word.”
Referencing past decisions, the Church of Nigeria noted that this is not the first time it has distanced itself from Anglican provinces over doctrinal disagreements. Similar actions were taken in previous years regarding the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada due to what it termed their theological deviations.
Primate Ndukuba further warned that the direction taken by the Church in Wales risks spiritual decay and weakens the collective testimony of the Anglican Church worldwide.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Church’s alignment with the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) and like-minded conservative provinces that continue to uphold traditional Anglican teachings.
“We will not compromise our faith or principles for the sake of unity with institutions that have chosen to abandon biblical truth,” the statement emphasised.
As a final directive, the Church of Nigeria urged its members and clergy to refrain from any form of ministerial cooperation, shared worship, or religious engagement with representatives of the Church in Wales.