Clergy from a conservative grouping within the global Anglican movement are gathering in Abuja to select a rival leader to incoming Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally.
Mullally is due to be formally installed at Canterbury Cathedral later this month, becoming the first woman to lead the Anglican Communion. While her appointment has been welcomed in parts of the Church of England, it has sparked opposition among conservative Anglicans in Nigeria and elsewhere.
Many traditionalist leaders maintain that only men should be consecrated as bishops, arguing that female leadership departs from longstanding church doctrine.
In addition to heading the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury serves as the spiritual leader of nearly 95 million Anglicans worldwide.
The four-day meeting in Abuja is expected to culminate in the election of an alternative archbishop, a move that could deepen divisions within the global Anglican family and potentially trigger a formal split within the Communion.
–ChannelAfrica–
