Reflections on Abuja

Thoughts and insights from Bishop Dan after the G26 conference in Abuja, Nigeria.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Thank you for responding to the call to pray for the GAFCON G26 conference, as hundreds of bishops, clergy, and lay leaders from across the Anglican Communion gathered in Abuja, Nigeria last week. Bishop Stephen and Nona, Bishop Trevor, and I were greatly encouraged by our time there. Important decisions were made, but the highlight of the conference was the warm friendships formed and renewed among leaders from around the world. We were deeply moved by the unity we experienced in our conversations, our shared meals, the profound testimonies we heard, our gathered worship, our prayers, and our consultations.

Experiencing this fellowship was especially significant because it reveals and embodies the God-given unity that comes from a common faith in Jesus and His Gospel. Many different cultures and church practices were represented at G26, yet there was a remarkable depth to our relationships because of our shared love for Jesus our Lord and our common reverence for God’s Word. This is the unity Jesus prayed for in John 17:20–21:

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

The Abuja Affirmation

The Abuja Affirmation, written during our time together, declares that the unity Jesus prayed for—and that we experienced at G26—arises only through a common faith in Jesus and the authority of His Word. Organizational structures cannot create this unity; they can only reflect it. For this reason, it is essential for the mission and health of the Anglican Communion that our unity be grounded in our confession, not merely in our structures.

Sadly, the present Anglican structures that were meant to foster unity in the Gospel—the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Anglican Consultative Council, and the Lambeth gathering of bishops—have departed from the authority of the Bible in essential doctrines and practices. This departure seriously compromises not only our unity but also the Gospel mission of the Church.

A New Global Anglican Council

For this reason, a restructuring of the Anglican Communion, founded upon our shared confession of Jesus as revealed in the Bible, began to take shape in Abuja. The GAFCON Primates have dissolved the GAFCON Primates Council, which has faithfully served and led the GAFCON movement since 2008. In its place, they have humbly chosen to broaden shared stewardship by establishing a new Global Anglican Council. Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of Rwanda was unanimously elected Chairman of this Council, Archbishop Miguel Uchoa of Brazil was elected Vice-Chair, and Bishop Paul Donison will continue as General Secretary.

The new Council will include primates, advisors, and guarantors, as well as bishops, clergy, and lay members, each with full voting privileges. All Anglican groups that subscribe to the Jerusalem Declaration will have representation on the Council. There will also remain an ongoing and open invitation for the wider Anglican Communion to join this faithful and biblically grounded communion of Anglicans.

Reaffirming Our Commitment

At this crucial time in the life of the Anglican Communion, it is important for each church in our Diocese of Canada family to reaffirm our commitment to the GAFCON Jerusalem Declaration, which expresses the basis for our unity. I also warmly encourage you to read the Abuja Affirmation that emerged from our G26 gathering last week. It clearly outlines the present context and the faithful way forward for our Anglican Communion.

Thank you again for your prayers. I believe this historic restructuring of our Communion, the wisdom demonstrated in our G26 deliberations, and the godly fellowship we experienced in Abuja are gracious answers from God. I am deeply grateful for your partnership in the Gospel. May God use these decisions to strengthen the bonds of affection within our Anglican Communion and to advance the Gospel through the faithful witness to Jesus in Anglican churches throughout the world.

Yours faithfully,

+Dan

The Right Reverend Dan Gifford
Diocesan Bishop