The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has strongly criticised the election of Bishop Cherry Vann as the new Archbishop of Wales, citing her openly lesbian orientation as a deviation from biblical principles.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, expressed deep concern over the direction of the Church in Wales.
He described Vann’s appointment as a continuation of what he termed “a further abandonment of the faith once delivered to the saints.”
The Nigerian Anglican leader emphasized the centrality of Scripture, adherence to historic creeds, and the preservation of traditional Anglican doctrine, urging believers to remain rooted in these core tenets.
“The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) condemns, unequivocally rejects, and will not recognise the election of Vann as Archbishop of Wales,” the statement declared.
“We will strive to uphold the authority of the Scriptures, our historic creeds, evangelism, and holy Christian living.
“We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ will build His Church, and ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’ (Matthew 16:18).”
Archbishop Ndukuba called on faithful Anglican Christians to take a firm stand against what he termed compromise within the Church.
He advocated a shift toward like-minded global Anglican networks such as the Global Anglican Future Conference.
“We call upon faithful Christians of the Anglican fold to denounce, reject, condemn, and expel the rebels in our midst, while we realign ourselves with Anglican remnants scattered in troubled dioceses all over the world,” he said.
The Church of Nigeria also extended a call for prayer over the situation in Wales, expressing hope that the Church of England would not adopt a similar stance in the future.
“We should hold them in our prayers with a clear message that hope lies only in true repentance and godliness.
“Otherwise, the church will lose complete relevance in the divine scheme for the people of Wales, and the leaders in compromise shall not be spared in time of judgement.”
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Bishop Vann’s election on July 3 has sparked significant controversy, particularly among more conservative factions within the global Anglican community.
