The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has ended all ties with the Church in Wales following the appointment of Bishop Cherry Vann, an openly gay cleric, as the Archbishop of Wales.
This was announced by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, during the opening session of the Church Conference of Chancellors, Registrars, and Legal Officers in Abuja on Tuesday.
Addressing the gathering, Ndukuba described the Church of Wales’ decision as a “blatant departure from biblical truth” and a continuation of what he called a dangerous pattern among Western churches. “A few days ago, the media went awash with the news of the action of the revisionists in the Western Church… These individuals have not relented from their evil agenda; rather, they have intensified it,” he said.
He condemned the election of Archbishop Vann, characterising it as an “abomination” and unbiblical. “The election of a lesbian woman does not originate as a mission. She was nurtured from an acolyte to a deaconess. It was only upon becoming a bishop that she came out openly and has persisted in defending her position,” Ndukuba stated.
“We reject the election of the Right Reverend Cherry Vann as the Archbishop of Wales. Just as the Church of Nigeria took steps after the election of Gene Robinson in the United States, we are severing every tie and relationship with the Church of Wales.”