The Church of Uganda has issued a strongly worded statement rejecting the appointment of the Rt Rev Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, citing her support for same-sex marriage.
In a statement released on October 4th 2025, the Most Rev Dr Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, expressed profound sadness over Mullally’s elevation, calling it a ‘grievous decision‘ that marks a further deterioration in the unity of the global Anglican Communion.“
“Our sadness about this appointment is her support and advocacy for unbiblical positions on sexuality and same-sex marriage. This reveals her departure from the historic Anglican positions that uphold the authority of Scripture for faith and life, ” Kaziimba wrote.
The statement comes amid ongoing theological and doctrinal tensions within the worldwide Anglican Communion, particularly between more liberal provinces in the West and conservative churches in the Global South.
The rift dates back at least to 2003, when the Episcopal Church in the United States consecrated a bishop in a same-sex relationship.
Mullally, a former nurse and the Church of England’s first female bishop of London, will be the first woman to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury.
However, while her leadership has been widely praised in some Anglican circles for promoting inclusion and pastoral care, conservative factions have criticized her theological stance on human sexuality.
Kaziimba said the Church of Uganda, a founding member of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), no longer recognizes the Archbishop of Canterbury as the spiritual head of global Anglicanism; a position reiterated in the 2023 GAFCON statement from Kigali.
“With this appointment, the Archbishop of Canterbury is reduced simply to the Primate of All England,” the statement read.
“There appears to be no repentance. Make no mistake, this is a grievous decision at the highest levels of the Church of England to separate itself from the vast majority of the global Anglican Communion,” it added.
The Church of Uganda assured its members that it remains committed to a worldwide communion of Anglicans who continue to proclaim the historic and Biblical faith of Anglicanism.
“The future of Gospel-centred mission in our Anglican tradition is bright. We will proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations,” Kaziimba said.
The Church of England has not yet publicly responded to the COU’s statement.
Sarah Mullally is expected to be formally enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury in the coming months, succeeding Justin Welby, who has held the position since 2013.
Background: The Role of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Traditionally, the Archbishop of Canterbury serves as the spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, a network of 85 million Christians across more than 165 countries. Though the position holds no formal power over the Communion’s autonomous provinces, it has long been considered an “Instrument of Communion” symbolizing unity.
However, that symbolic role has come under increasing strain due to theological disagreements, especially around issues of human sexuality, gender, and biblical interpretation.
