By Ayo Kehinde
The Anglican Church in Nigeria has severed all ties and relationship with the Church in Wales over the recent election of Bishop Cherry Elizabeth Vann, a lesbian cleric, as the new Archbishop of Wales.
Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, Primate of the Church of Nigeria, announced the decision at the opening ceremony of the Church of Nigeria Chancellors, Registrars, and Legal Officers Conference (ACRLOC) in Abuja, on Tuesday.
On 30 July, Cherry Elizabeth Vann was announced as Archbishop of Wales, having received the required two-thirds majority of votes on the second day of the meeting of the electoral college at Chepstow.
She is the first woman to be elected as an Anglican archbishop in the United Kingdom and the first openly lesbian and partnered bishop to serve as a primate in the Anglican Communion.
Declaring the action of the Anglican Church in Wales a direct violation of biblical teachings, Ndukuba said the election of Cherry Vann was unacceptable to the Church in Nigeria
“A few days ago, the media was awash with the news of the action of the revisionists in the Western Church in the United Kingdom, specifically in the Church in Wales. These individuals have not relented from their evil agenda; rather, they have intensified it.
“As the Scripture says, evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. What they call their wisdom and culture is an abomination to God. The election of a lesbian woman does not originate as a mission. We reject the election of Cherry Vann as the Archbishop of Wales.
“Just as the Church of Nigeria took similar steps after the election of Gene Robinson in the United States, we are severing every tie and relationship with the Church in Wales”, he said.
Ndukuba reiterated that the Anglican Church in Nigeria is resolute and committed to its stance against homosexuality and heretical teachings in the communion.
“We shall continue to maintain orthodoxy and contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. We shall collaborate with GAFCON and orthodox groups that are faithful to God and uphold the authority of the Scriptures in doctrine, morality, mission, and practical living, and preserve our inheritance of faith”, he added.
Ndukuba, who commended the organisers and participants at the meeting, said as men and women entrusted with the weighty task of preserving justice, truth, and law, “in many ways, your calling bears a striking resemblance to the biblical calling of a watchman.”
