Anglican Rift Deepens: GAFCON Calls on Archbishop of Canterbury to “Repent” over Comments on Same-Sex Relationships

In a striking escalation of internal Anglican tensions, the GAFCON Primates’ Council has publicly urged the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, to “repent” for allegedly violating his ordination vows. The call for repentance follows Archbishop Welby’s remarks on a recent podcast, where he suggested that committed relationships—whether straight or gay—should be the basis for sexual activity, leading GAFCON to claim he has effectively “changed the doctrine of sin.” GAFCON, a global orthodox Anglican organization, contends that Archbishop Welby’s stance constitutes a departure from the Church’s teachings and a direct contradiction to the 1998 Lambeth Conference resolution that declared “homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture.”

Following criticism over his comments, Lambeth Palace released a statement clarifying that Welby’s remarks reflect his personal views rather than the official stance of the Church of England. The statement acknowledged that the Archbishop’s perspective has evolved through years of theological reflection and dialogue within the “Living in Love and Faith” process, yet emphasized the Church’s ongoing division on the issue. While GAFCON upholds a traditional interpretation of scripture regarding same-sex relationships, it criticized Welby’s comments as an endorsement of “sanctification of sin by means of a divine blessing.” The growing rift between GAFCON and the Archbishop underscores a deepening divide within the global Anglican Communion over questions of sexuality and scriptural interpretation.