Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
Updated: 12/10/2025, 4:50:59 PM Wikipedia source
The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (branded as GAFCON or Gafcon after the Global Anglican Future Conference) is a communion of conservative Anglican churches aligned with the Confessing Movement that formed in 2008 in response to ongoing theological disputes in the worldwide Anglican Communion. As of 2025, GAFCON claims to represent upwards of 85% of the world's practising Anglicans. Peer-reviewed research from 2015 and 2016 indicates that the GAFCON-aligned provinces represent closer to 45% of practising Anglicans and just over 54% of members baptised in any of the provinces of the Anglican Communion. Confessing Anglicans met in 2008 at the Global Anglican Future Conference, creating the Jerusalem Declaration and establishing the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA), which was rebranded as GAFCON in 2017. At its founding, it consisted of the Anglican provinces of Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda, Alexandria, Chile, Congo, Kenya, Myanmar, South Sudan, and the newly formed Anglican Church in Brazil, Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa, and Anglican Church in North America. On October 16, 2025, GAFCON formally declared its intent to possibly break ties with the Canterbury-based Anglican Communion. The chairman of GAFCON, Laurent Mbanda, the Primate of Rwanda, declared that GAFCON will officially be renamed the Global Anglican Communion, asserting that they have not left the Anglican Communion but instead are the Anglican Communion.
Infobox
Type
Communion
Classification
Protestant[a]
Orientation
Confessing Anglican
Scripture
Protestant Bible
Theology
Anglican doctrine
Polity
Episcopal
Chairman
Laurent Mbanda
Vice Chairmen
Kanishka Raffel, Miguel Uchôa
General Secretary
Paul Donison
Headquarters
Sheffield, England
Origin
2008 Global Anglican Future Conference, Jerusalem
Official website
gafcon.org
Tables
· Organization › Member provinces
Anglican Province of Alexandria
Anglican Province of Alexandria
Provinces
Anglican Province of Alexandria
Territorial jurisdiction
Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Somalia, Tunisia
Membership (baptized)
50,000
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
No
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Samy Fawzy)
Anglican Church in Brazil
Anglican Church in Brazil
Provinces
Anglican Church in Brazil
Territorial jurisdiction
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Central America
Membership (baptized)
N/A
Anglican Communion member province
No
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
No
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Miguel Uchôa, vice chairman)
Anglican Church of Chile
Anglican Church of Chile
Provinces
Anglican Church of Chile
Territorial jurisdiction
Chile
Membership (baptized)
20,000
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
No
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Enrique Lago)
Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo
Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo
Provinces
Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo
Territorial jurisdiction
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo
Membership (baptized)
500,000
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
No
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Georges Titre Ande)
Anglican Network in Europe (proto-province)
Anglican Network in Europe (proto-province)
Provinces
Anglican Network in Europe (proto-province)
Territorial jurisdiction
Europe
Membership (baptized)
N/A
Anglican Communion member province
No
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
No
Ordains women
No
Anglican Church of Kenya
Anglican Church of Kenya
Provinces
Anglican Church of Kenya
Territorial jurisdiction
Kenya
Membership (baptized)
5,860,000
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
Yes
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Jackson Ole Sapit)
Church of the Province of Myanmar
Church of the Province of Myanmar
Provinces
Church of the Province of Myanmar
Territorial jurisdiction
Myanmar
Membership (baptized)
62,000
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
No
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Stephen Than Myint Oo)
Church of Nigeria
Church of Nigeria
Provinces
Church of Nigeria
Territorial jurisdiction
Nigeria
Membership (baptized)
25,000,000
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
Yes (to the diaconate)
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Henry Ndukuba)
Anglican Church in North America
Anglican Church in North America
Provinces
Anglican Church in North America
Territorial jurisdiction
Canada, Mexico, United States
Membership (baptized)
130,111
Anglican Communion member province
No
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
Yes (to the priesthood), varies by diocese
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Steve Wood)
Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda
Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda
Provinces
Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda
Territorial jurisdiction
Rwanda
Membership (baptized)
1,500,000
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
Yes (to the priesthood)
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Laurent Mbanda, chairman)
Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa
Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa
Provinces
Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa
Territorial jurisdiction
Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Membership (baptized)
100,000
Anglican Communion member province
No
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
No
Ordains women
No
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Siegfried Ngubane)
Anglican Church of South America
Anglican Church of South America
Provinces
Anglican Church of South America
Territorial jurisdiction
Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay
Membership (baptized)
46,100
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
Yes (to the priesthood), varies by diocese
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
No
Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan
Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan
Provinces
Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan
Territorial jurisdiction
South Sudan
Membership (baptized)
5,000,000
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
Yes
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Justin Badi Arama)
Church of Uganda
Church of Uganda
Provinces
Church of Uganda
Territorial jurisdiction
Uganda
Membership (baptized)
13,311,801
Anglican Communion member province
Yes
Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member
Yes
Ordains women
Yes (to the priesthood)
Represented on GAFCON Primates Council
Yes (Stephen Kaziimba)
GAFCON
GAFCON
Provinces
GAFCON
Territorial jurisdiction
52,580,012
Membership (baptized)
-
| Provinces | Territorial jurisdiction | Membership (baptized) | Anglican Communion member province | Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches member | Ordains women | Represented on GAFCON Primates Council |
| Anglican Province of Alexandria | Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, Somalia, Tunisia | 50,000 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (Samy Fawzy) |
| Anglican Church in Brazil | Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Central America | N/A | No | Yes | No | Yes (Miguel Uchôa, vice chairman) |
| Anglican Church of Chile | Chile | 20,000 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (Enrique Lago) |
| Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo | Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo | 500,000 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (Georges Titre Ande) |
| Anglican Network in Europe (proto-province) | Europe | N/A | No | No | No | |
| Anglican Church of Kenya | Kenya | 5,860,000 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Jackson Ole Sapit) |
| Church of the Province of Myanmar | Myanmar | 62,000 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (Stephen Than Myint Oo) |
| Church of Nigeria | Nigeria | 25,000,000 | Yes | Yes | Yes (to the diaconate) | Yes (Henry Ndukuba) |
| Anglican Church in North America | Canada, Mexico, United States | 130,111 | No | Yes | Yes (to the priesthood), varies by diocese | Yes (Steve Wood) |
| Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda | Rwanda | 1,500,000 | Yes | Yes | Yes (to the priesthood) | Yes (Laurent Mbanda, chairman) |
| Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa | Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe | 100,000 | No | No | No | Yes (Siegfried Ngubane) |
| Anglican Church of South America | Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay | 46,100 | Yes | Yes | Yes (to the priesthood), varies by diocese | No |
| Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan | South Sudan | 5,000,000 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Justin Badi Arama) |
| Church of Uganda | Uganda | 13,311,801 | Yes | Yes | Yes (to the priesthood) | Yes (Stephen Kaziimba) |
| GAFCON | 52,580,012 | - | ||||
· Organization › Non-provincial GAFCON branches
Gafcon Australia
Gafcon Australia
Branches
Gafcon Australia
Territorial jurisdiction
Australia
Membership (in thousands of people)
TBD
Other affiliated entities
Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Anglican Diocese of Tasmania, Diocese of the Southern Cross
Gafcon GB and Europe
Gafcon GB and Europe
Branches
Gafcon GB and Europe
Territorial jurisdiction
Great Britain, continental Europe
Membership (in thousands of people)
TBD
Other affiliated entities
Anglican Network in Europe, Free Church of England, Reformed Episcopal Church
Gafcon Ghana
Gafcon Ghana
Branches
Gafcon Ghana
Territorial jurisdiction
Ghana
Membership (in thousands of people)
TBD
Other affiliated entities
Anglican Diocese of Sunyani
Gafcon Ireland
Gafcon Ireland
Branches
Gafcon Ireland
Territorial jurisdiction
Ireland
Membership (in thousands of people)
TBD
Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand
Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand
Branches
Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand
Territorial jurisdiction
New Zealand
Membership (in thousands of people)
TBD
Gafcon Tanzania
Gafcon Tanzania
Branches
Gafcon Tanzania
Territorial jurisdiction
Tanzania
Membership (in thousands of people)
TBD
Other affiliated entities
Anglican Church of Tanzania Dioceses of Tabora, Mara, Mpwapwa, Tarime, Kibondo, Mount Kilimanjaro, Rorya, Shinyanga, Lake Rukwa, and Western Tanganyika
| Branches | Territorial jurisdiction | Membership (in thousands of people) | Other affiliated entities |
| Gafcon Australia | Australia | TBD | Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Anglican Diocese of Tasmania, Diocese of the Southern Cross |
| Gafcon GB and Europe | Great Britain, continental Europe | TBD | Anglican Network in Europe, Free Church of England, Reformed Episcopal Church |
| Gafcon Ghana | Ghana | TBD | Anglican Diocese of Sunyani |
| Gafcon Ireland | Ireland | TBD | |
| Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand | New Zealand | TBD | |
| Gafcon Tanzania | Tanzania | TBD | Anglican Church of Tanzania Dioceses of Tabora, Mara, Mpwapwa, Tarime, Kibondo, Mount Kilimanjaro, Rorya, Shinyanga, Lake Rukwa, and Western Tanganyika |
References
- With various theological and doctrinal identities, including Anglo-Catholic, Liberal, Evangelical
- "Anglicans Birth Global Confessing Movement"http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2008/06/gafcon_missteps_1.html
- "Anglican Conservatives Create "Confessing Movement""https://juicyecumenism.com/2008/07/08/anglican-conservatives-create-confessing-movement/
- Baptist News Globalhttps://baptistnews.com/article/a-house-divided-the-anglican-communions-great-reset/
- WORLDhttps://wng.org/opinions/the-global-anglican-communion-is-here-1760847104
- Catholic News Agencyhttps://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254165/anglicans-in-africa-reject-archbishop-of-canterbury-for-support-of-same-sex-union-blessings
- Journal of Anglican Studieshttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-anglican-studies/article/abs/north-to-south-a-reappraisal-of-anglican-communion-membership-figures/2DE9B1D5B85A164090A393735AACA1FB
- www.christiantoday.comhttps://www.christiantoday.com/news/anglican-membership-figures-could-be-out-by-millions
- GAFCON: Global Anglicanshttps://gafcon.org/communique-updates/the-future-has-arrived/
- The Living Churchhttps://livingchurch.org/news/news-anglican-communion/analysis-gafcon-creates-global-anglican-communion/
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c179yvn08njo
- The Timeshttps://www.thetimes.com/world/africa/article/african-bishops-dissent-archbishop-of-canterbury-56lgcsq5k
- Christianity Todayhttps://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/10/anglican-communion-gafcon-break-canterbury-archbishop/
- GAFCONhttps://www.gafcon.org/about/history
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/11/03/episcopalians-consecrate-first-openly-gay-bishop/5e64c11e-346a-49d1-84d0-80e13a698cb2/
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/aug/04/anglicanism.religion
- Thinking Anglicanshttps://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/3090-2/
- GAFCONhttp://gafcon.org/news/gafcon_final_statement/
- "Sydney Synod endorses Jerusalem Declaration"http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/mediareleases/sydney_synod_endorses_jerusalem_declaration/
- Gafcon GB & Europehttps://gafcongbe.org/about
- "Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans launched in South Africa"http://www.gafcon.org/news/fellowship_of_confessing_anglicans_launched_in_south_africa/
- Anglican Inkhttps://anglican.ink/2023/11/10/new-general-secretary-for-gafcon/
- Anglican Mainstreamhttps://anglicanmainstream.org/formation-of-fellowship-or-confessing-anglicans-new-zealand/
- GAFCONhttps://www.gafcon.org/news/a-new-diocese-bishop-for-the-church-of-confessing-anglicans-in-new-zealand
- Sydney Morning Heraldhttps://www.smh.com.au/national/anglican-church-splits-conservatives-form-australian-breakaway-20220816-p5bact.html
- Anglican Diocese of Armidalehttp://www.armidaleanglicandiocese.com/our-bishops-response-to-the-launch-of-the-diocese-of-the-southern-cross/
- GAFCON: Global Anglicanshttps://gafcon.org/communique-updates/canterbury-appointment-abandons-anglicans/
- The Melbourne Anglicanhttps://tma.melbourneanglican.org.au/2025/10/gafcon-announces-new-communion/
- www.christiantoday.comhttps://www.christiantoday.com/news/orthodox-anglicans-create-new-communion-that-rejects-leadership-of-archbishop-of-canterbury
- Anglican Inkhttps://anglican.ink/2025/10/16/the-future-has-arrived-gafcon-takes-control-of-the-anglican-communion/
- Baptist News Globalhttps://baptistnews.com/article/a-house-divided-the-anglican-communions-great-reset/
- GAFCON: Global Anglicanshttps://gafcon.org/prayer-updates/the-church-of-nigeria-anglican-communion/
- "About"https://anglican-nig.org/about/
- Journal of Anglican Studieshttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-anglican-studies/article/abs/demography-of-anglicans-in-subsaharan-africa-estimating-the-population-of-anglicans-in-kenya-nigeria-south-africa-tanzania-and-uganda/833CD17ACFB3823B2F43DBA4FCBE1B1F
- GAFCONhttps://www.gafcon.org/about/jerusalem-declaration
- GAFCONhttps://www.gafcon.org/about/structure
- GAFCON: Global Anglicanshttps://gafcon.org/about/
- GAFCON: Global Anglicanshttps://gafcon.org/about/primates-council-and-advisors/
- www.oikoumene.orghttps://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/the-episcopal/anglican-province-of-alexandria
- "Iglesia Anglicana de Chile se convierte en la provincia 40º del mundo, Anglican Church of Chile Official Website (Spanish)"https://web.archive.org/web/20181107225133/http://www.iach.cl/2018/11/05/iglesia-anglicana-de-chile-se-convierte-en-la-provincia-40o-del-mundo/
- www.oikoumene.orghttp://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/church-of-christ-in-congo-anglican-community-of-congo
- "ACK Decade Strategy 2017"https://www.ackenya.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DECADE-STRATEGY-2018-2027.pdf
- Missionaliahttps://scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-95072020000300002
- www.oikoumene.orghttp://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/church-of-the-province-of-myanmar
- GAFCON: Global Anglicanshttps://gafcon.org/prayer-updates/the-church-of-nigeria-anglican-communion/
- Juicy Ecumenismhttps://juicyecumenism.com/2025/07/10/acna-diocesan-numbers/
- "1.5 million followers, 1,300 schools and hospitals: The Anglican Church's century in Rwanda"https://en.igihe.com/spip.php?page=mv2_article&id_article=56079
- "Church Denominations in South Africa"https://web.archive.org/web/20140620221648/http://www.sachristian.co.za/church.html
- Growth and decline in the Anglican communion: 1980 to the present
- Anglican Journalhttps://anglicanjournal.com/first-female-priests-ordained-in-uruguay/
- www.anglicannews.orghttps://www.anglicannews.org/news/2015/01/majority-of-south-america-dioceses-may-soon-have-women-priests.aspx
- "About South Sudan"https://web.archive.org/web/20200925042043/https://www.casss.org.uk/about-south-sudan/
- ubos.orghttps://www.ubos.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/National-Population-and-Housing-Census-2024-Final-Report-Volume-1-Main.pdf
- Gafcon Global Anglicanshttps://www.gafcon.org/news/communique-from-gafcon-tanzania
- The Living Churchhttps://livingchurch.org/news/analysis-a-dilemma-for-gafcon/
- civicrm.gafcon.orghttps://civicrm.gafcon.org/news/a-statement-on-the-consecration-of-a-female-bishop-in-south-sudan
- The Living Churchhttps://livingchurch.org/news/province-of-central-africa-approves-ordination-of-women/
- Episcopal News Servicehttps://episcopalnewsservice.org/2021/08/06/89000/
- RNShttps://religionnews.com/2024/01/19/africas-six-anglican-women-bishops-meet-and-issue-call-to-combat-africas-triple-threat/
- Christian Todayhttps://www.christiantoday.com/article/women.clergy.a.future.possibility.for.nigeria.says.bishop/7052.htm
- wwrn.orghttps://wwrn.org/articles/33610/
- Journal of the American Academy of Religionhttps://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/lfh033
- Uganda Christian Universityhttps://ucudir.ucu.ac.ug/bitstream/handle/20.500.11951/234/Byaruhanga_Keynote%20Address%20on%2050%20Years%20of%20Shared%20Responsibility%20with%20God-called%20Women%20in%20the%20Church%20of%20the%20Province%20of%20Uganda_2017.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
- The Anglican Church in North Americahttps://anglicanchurch.net/college-of-bishops-statement-on-the-ordination-of-women/
- THE OTHER CHEEKhttps://theothercheek.com.au/gafcons-southern-cross-diocese-gets-a-woman-minister-and-church-number-four/
- Episcopal News Servicehttps://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2021/08/06/89000/
- Anglican Ink © 2021https://anglican.ink/2018/04/21/gafcon-adopts-moratorium-on-women-bishops/
- www.gafcon.orghttps://www.gafcon.org/resources/task-force-on-women-in-the-episcopate-interim-report-2019
- Anglican Ink © 2021https://anglican.ink/2021/01/26/appointment-of-women-bishop-in-kenya-challenged/
- Citizentv.co.kehttps://citizentv.co.ke/news/rose-okeno-consecrated-as-first-female-bishop-of-the-anglican-church-of-kenya-13099724/
- The Standardhttps://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001423334/history-as-first-woman-bishop-rose-okeno-takes-the-reins
- Uganda Radionetworkhttps://ugandaradionetwork.net/story/uganda-is-ready-for-a-female-bishop-archbishop-kaziimba-
- The Independent Ugandahttps://www.independent.co.ug/uganda-is-ready-for-a-female-bishop-archbishop-kaziimba/
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c179yvn08njo
- The Timeshttps://www.thetimes.com/uk/religion/article/sarah-mullally-new-archbishop-canterbury-news-bjx65l9jt
- Anglican Ink © 2025https://anglican.ink/2025/10/04/uganda-statement-on-the-appointment-of-the-archbishop-of-canterbury/
- Monitorhttps://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/why-church-of-uganda-rejects-mullally-s-appointment-as-archbishop-of-canterbury-5216896