GAFCON the Day After | Who Attended? | North African Bishop: "Jerusalem Declaration Is Our Confession" | IASCUFO vs. the Global Anglican Communion | TEC Scandals | Atherstone on Mullally |
- 21 hours ago
- 10 min read
Updated: 16 hours ago
QUOTES OF THE DAY
"Here's how to determine God's will for your life: Go wherever your gifts will be exploited the most." — John Stott
"Be very sure of this — people never reject the Bible because they cannot understand it. They understand it only too well. They understand that it condemns their own behavior, that it witnesses against their own sins, and summons them to judgment." — J. C. Ryle
"The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. The communion is a fellowship of churches who submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, whose life and teaching is revealed in the Scriptures. … True communion is confessional, rather than defined by a shared history or institutional structures." — GAFCON G26 Abuja Statement
"Do you know the rules in Iran? Carrying the Gospel or changing your religion: execution, brother, execution. You cannot go to a bookshop and ask for a Gospel or Bible. It is like asking for drugs." — Ali Rezaei Majd, Christian convert in Iran
"Almost 400 million Christians worldwide face persecution or violence, making them the most persecuted religious community in the world — one in seven Christians. Almost 5,000 were killed for their faith in 2025, an average of 13 per day." — Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Vatican Permanent Observer to the United Nations
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
March 13, 2026
RAYS OF LIGHT IN A DARKENING WORLD
Despite all the bad news — and there is plenty of it — here is some worth holding onto: religious people consistently self-identify as happier than non-religious people. Ryan Burge, a foremost expert on religion and politics in the U.S., puts it plainly: happier people tend to be more religious. Those with no religious affiliation are measurably less happy than those who identify with a faith tradition.
In a world increasingly darkened by war, rising prices, fear, contempt, and growing unbelief, there are still shafts of light that tell another story.
Recently, I was forced to stop my car over serious de-icing issues on a road not known for its friendliness. Within minutes, standing in freezing rain and trying to address the problem, two cars stopped. Both drivers asked if I was okay. I said I was; they smiled and drove off. I have no doubt that had I said otherwise, they would have called 911 and stayed with me until help arrived. Last year, when faced with heart issues, I nearly collapsed at Walmart. Within seconds I was surrounded by people wanting to help — and spontaneously, a couple prayed over me.
What do we make of the dichotomy between what we see on TV, TikTok, YouTube, and the news — mostly shootings, hard luck stories, despair, poverty, and war — and these quiet human moments? Were these people Trump supporters, Democrats, Republicans, libertarians, believers, or skeptics? Who knows. But in one brief, shining moment, they stopped what they were doing, noticed my plight, and came to help. Amazing grace, common grace — whatever it was, a human moment prevailed.
Burge notes that for any given relationship between two variables, a majority of studies may confirm a positive link — but about 30% find no relationship or even a negative one. Still, the preponderance of evidence holds: those of us who believe are happier than agnostics, atheists, or the indifferent, no matter what life throws at us. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2–4)
GAFCON ABUJA: THE DAY AFTER
Repercussions — both positive and negative — continue to roll out from the GAFCON (G26) gathering in Abuja, Nigeria.
For many, it was definitive: a clear declaration of what Anglicans truly believe, have always believed, and why we remain Anglicans today. For others, it was a disappointment. "What, another committee?" some critics asked. "Why didn't they declare formal schism with Canterbury?" That is a fair question.
What GAFCON did was establish a new council to lead its churches, formally accusing the Church of England of straying from biblical faithfulness. Rebranded as the Global Anglican Communion, the group appointed Rwandan Archbishop Laurent Mbanda as its chairman — replacing the Archbishop of Canterbury in that role.
Formal schism did not happen, and new Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally rests somewhat more comfortably at Lambeth Palace knowing her institutional position is secure. But she is not out of the woods. She will not be welcome in most Global South provinces, which remain orthodox in faith and morals. She has bent to the winds of modernity on gay marriage and women priests, and has focused more on reparations and safeguarding than gospel proclamation. The primates of the Global South will not visit her at Lambeth Palace or at Canterbury Cathedral. Those days are done.
Who Attended?
Many have asked which primates attended this significant gathering. Here is the count: eight Anglican primates attended in person, and one participated via Zoom.
Note: Due to the outbreak of the Iran war, several primates in the region were unable to travel because of immediate logistical difficulties caused by the conflict.
Three GAFCON Province Primates recognized by Canterbury:
Nigeria: Henry Ndukuba
Uganda: Stephen Kaziimba
Rwanda: Laurent Mbanda
Three GAFCON Province Primates not recognized by Canterbury:
ACNA: Julian Dobbs
REACH-South Africa: Siegfried Ngubane
Brazil: Miguel Uchôa
Two primates not part of GAFCON:
Indian Ocean: Gilbert Rakotondravelo
South America: Brian Williams
One GAFCON Primate via Zoom:
Chile: Enrique Zugandi
Six GAFCON Provinces represented by bishops (not their Primate): Alexandria, Myanmar, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Congo
Some of these primates also overlap with the GSFA.
"THE JERUSALEM DECLARATION IS OUR CONFESSION"
One of the highlights of the Abuja gathering was a lecture by North African Bishop the Rt. Rev. Ashley Null. Null, a Cranmer scholar, boldly declared that assent to the Jerusalem Declaration is a return to the ancient truths Anglicans have always held — and told more than 400 conferees why.
At the heart of his argument lies the foundational Reformation principle of the pervasive nature of human sinfulness — and with it, the hope of the gospel for personal transformation. His full lecture is available here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/north-african-anglican-bishop-the-jerusalem-declaration-is-our-confession
IASCUFO VS. THE GLOBAL ANGLICAN COMMUNION
Anglican liberals, however, refuse to abandon their vision of unity.
The Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) has issued a Lent 2026 supplement to its Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, confirming plans to revise the Communion's self-definition and diversify its leadership — this despite deep opposition from the newly formed Global Anglican Council, recently established in Abuja, where some 400 bishops, clergy, and laity assembled to signal that they have "reset" and reformed the Communion, and that IASCUFO's proposals are unwelcome.
The central sleight of hand lies in IASCUFO's first proposal: replacing the 1930 Lambeth language of churches being "in communion with the See of Canterbury" with a description of provinces as sharing an inheritance of faith and order, mutual service, common counsel, and a historic connection with Canterbury.
The problem is that GAFCON and the Global South have already "reset" the communion. They no longer share even common ground with IASCUFO, and an appeal to "a historic connection with Canterbury" is dead on arrival.
Liberal Anglican provinces may talk among themselves, but no one in the Global South will pay serious attention. You can read more here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/up-the-anglican-creek-without-a-paddle
Church of England evangelical scholar M. Barratt Davie assesses two competing visions for the Communion's future here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/assessing-two-different-visions-for-the-future-of-the-anglican-communion
And as TEC declines, a growing number of Anglicans are quietly migrating to other traditions — Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and beyond. The Rev. Dr. Ronald H. Moore writes about that trend here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/the-quiet-anglican-migration-why-serious-christianity-is-growing-even-as-denominations-decline
TEC: DENIAL, DECLINE, AND SCANDAL
"A Lie Straight from the Pit of Hell"
When I first saw the headline, I thought it was satire. But Episcopal Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe really said it — to more than 850 Episcopal Church leaders gathered in Charlotte to discuss the denomination's future.
Bishop Rowe declared that the belief that the mainline Protestant denomination is dying amid considerable attendance decline is "a lie straight from the pit of Hell." Apparently, the Presiding Bishop is tired of hearing that his church is doomed and would like to change the narrative. But the numbers do not lie.
The denomination has lost roughly half its baptized membership since the 1960s, declining to approximately 1.5 million adherents today. Congregations continue to shrink and demographics continue to age. Top-level trends confirm TEC's ongoing decline: the number of parishes and missions dropped from 6,754 in 2023 to 6,707 in 2024 — a 0.7 percent decline. Median in-person attendance stands at just 38, and the average Episcopalian is now in their 60s. No younger generation appears poised to fill the pews. Despite passage of the gay marriage canon, gay and lesbian couples have not joined the church in significant numbers.
The racial demographics are equally stark. Despite making anti-racism training a priority, the Episcopal Church remains 95 percent white — compared to 59.3 percent white for the United States as a whole. Only 4 percent of Episcopalians are Black, versus 13.4 percent of the U.S. population. The denomination has consecrated approximately 50 Black bishops, a number wildly disproportionate to its actual Black membership. Meanwhile, the average Episcopalian age of 60-plus stands in sharp contrast to the U.S. median age of 38.7, as Anglican Watch notes.
For the first time in its history, the Episcopal Church posted a churchwide budget deficit. Average pledge size dropped from $3,658 to $3,093 — a 16.3 percent decline.
Today, TEC functions largely as a progressive advocacy organization with liturgical trappings. Its trajectory is set, and no amount of institutional optimism will restore it to former prominence. Bishop Rowe will preside over its continued diminishment; the forces at work are well beyond his power to reverse.
The Rev. Dwight Zscheile, an Episcopal priest and professor, has put it starkly: the overall picture is one not merely of decline but of demise within a generation, unless trends change significantly. Researcher Brandon Showalter estimates that the Episcopal Church will be functionally dead within 20 years — with no one in worship by around 2050. You can read more here: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/episcopal-leaders-push-back-on-rumors-of-fatal-decline
Scandal in Pittsburgh
As TEC descends slowly into the abyss, it finds itself increasingly riddled with scandal.
The latest: the Dean of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Pittsburgh has been accused of stealing baseball cards from Walmart. The Very Rev. Aidan Smith was arrested with 27 packs of baseball cards concealed under his clothing and in a cardboard box, according to court records. Smith, 42, was charged with receiving stolen property and retail theft. Walmart valued the stolen cards at $1,099.99. Smith had been on administrative leave since late January; the diocese offered no explanation.
For more on TEC's ongoing scandals, visit Anglican Watch — the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church: https://www.anglicanwatch.com/
As the culture goes, so go the churches not rooted in Scripture. If sodomy is no longer a sin, why should stealing be? It all filters down.
UPCOMING: FUTURE OF GLOBAL ANGLICANISM SYMPOSIUM
If you want to engage seriously with the future of global Anglicanism, consider attending a spring symposium at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary in Oreland, PA.
Featured speakers include former Egyptian Archbishop Mouneer Anis, the Rev. Dr. Gerald McDermott, Dr. Alice Linsley, Ben Jefferies, and Dr. George Westhaver — among the brightest theological minds in the communion today. Your scribe will also be present.
Date: April 24, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Cost: Free (lunch provided)
Reserve your spot here: https://www.paperlesspost.com/go/2vKja7mHKdvBZ8fW2Gx5y
ATHERSTONE ON MULLALLY
Andrew Atherstone, biographer of England's archbishops — with two volumes on Justin Welby to his credit — has turned his pen to Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, producing a biography in remarkably short time. He sent a copy to evangelical theologian Dr. Ian Paul, whose review is here: https://www.psephizo.com/reviews/what-is-the-story-of-sarah-mullaly/
The biography arrives just in time for her enthronement in two weeks and clearly raises the issues that will define her tenure.
Mullally has promised no grand schemes or big ideas — a sharp contrast to Justin Welby. Unlike her predecessor, she is committed to due process, working collaboratively, and building teams. But questions remain: How will this sit with her "inclusive" agenda and commitment to a "broad" church? Is "agreeing to disagree" enough to hold things together? And what happens when due process and her inclusive commitments pull in opposite directions? Which will win?
Perhaps most fundamentally: how will the Church fare being led by someone who is a doer rather than a thinker — someone who understands the Church almost solely in terms of action rather than theology?
We will soon find out. But one thing is already clear: the majority of Global South bishops and archbishops want nothing to do with her. That day is done.
ANiE SEEKS PROVINCIAL STATUS WITH GAFCON
The Bishops of the Anglican Network in Europe met recently at the AMC Cathedral Church of Restoration in Wythenshawe, Manchester, to discuss the future relationship between ANiE and GAFCON.
ANiE and the Church of Uganda recommitted to a mission partnership, with the aim of recruiting and sending gospel workers from Uganda to the spiritually dark continent of Europe — including the British Isles. Uganda will begin selection, training, and fundraising immediately; ANiE will identify host congregations and suitable mission projects.
"Our dream is Europe renewed by the gospel — as Spirit-filled Anglican communities, diverse but united, shine the light of Christ into places of darkness; where new churches are planted, new leaders nurtured, and new dioceses formed, as God displays his multi-variegated wisdom through the renewed Global Anglican Communion (Ephesians 3:10)," said ANiE Bishop Andy Lines.
The bishops of ANiE have resolved to:
Request that GAFCON/the GAC move toward recognizing ANiE as a province: the Anglican Church of Europe.
Affirm that Presiding Bishop Andy Lines has the full support of all ANiE bishops and leaders.
Request that at least one member of the GAFCON Global charity (GFCA) be drawn from ANiE.
Continue planning to multiply missionary dioceses in Europe.
Begin planning for a full ANiE Assembly before the major G28 GAFCON Conference in Athens.
The reset, renewal, and reforming of the Anglican Communion is truly underway — and nothing will stop it. Liberals, progressives, and revisionists can only watch as the communion forges ahead without them. Their day is done.
PEACE, PEACE — WHEN THERE IS NO PEACE
Everybody is crying out for peace in the Middle East, even as bombs and rockets fly in all directions. The UN wants the United States and Israel to stop bombing Iran. The Pope wants peace. Pope Leo has repeatedly appealed for calm in the region since the February 28 American and Israeli strikes and Iran's ongoing retaliation. China's Defense Ministry has issued similar warnings, cautioning that prolonging or escalating the conflict "would produce no winners" and could push the Middle East into a "dangerous abyss."
But George Weigel, a prominent American Catholic theologian and public intellectual, has pointed out that Pope Leo's condemnation of all "violence" repeats his predecessor's pacifism and ignores the Catholic Church's just war tradition — which holds that violent conflict is sometimes necessary to stop egregious evil. The Augustinian pope ought to know that his namesake taught precisely this in The City of God.
My take on what a false peace looks like is here: https://davidvirtue2.substack.com/p/peace-peace-when-there-is-no-peace-3f9
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All blessings,
David