The Church of Uganda called the appointment of Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury “sad news” over her stance on same-sex marriage. Mullally, 63, became the first female leader of the Church of England, the mother church of the 85-million-strong Anglican Communion.
Conservative members, particularly in Africa, have long clashed with Western liberals over women priests and LGBTQ issues, deepening global church tensions. Tensions intensified in 2023 when Uganda enacted one of the world’s harshest anti-homosexuality laws, supported openly by the local clergy.
Mullally, a former midwife and self-described feminist, welcomed a 2023 decision allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, sparking controversy. In a letter dated October 3, Archbishop Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu said her views “depart from historic Anglican positions that uphold Scripture.”
He warned the decision would “deepen the tear in the fabric of the Anglican Communion,” calling it a grievous separation. Conservative Anglicans, united under GAFCON since 2023, no longer recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury as a global authority, limiting the role to England.
Mullally’s predecessor, Justin Welby, criticised Kaziimba for backing Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law, which includes death penalties for “aggravated homosexuality.” GAFCON condemned Mullally’s appointment, saying it “abandons Anglicans” and will further divide an already fractured global Communion.
They stressed that, despite some support for a female archbishop, most of the Anglican world believes episcopacy should remain male-only. The decision highlights the widening rift between progressive and conservative factions, exposing deep ideological fractures across the international Anglican network.