Anglican leader does not have to be ‘white guy from England’, says Justin Welby

Jun 14, 2023 by Jill

by Harriet Sherwood, Guardian:

Archbishop of Canterbury says he would welcome ‘serious changes’ to church communion ‘that is 90% global south’.

The leader of the global Anglican church should not always be a “white guy from England”, the archbishop of Canterbury has said.

Justin Welby’s comment came amid divisions over sexuality between conservative churches in sub-Saharan Africa and more liberal churches in the developed world.

Speaking at a conference on religion and the media, Welby said the structure of the Anglican communion, which claims 85 million members worldwide, needed reform “so it’s no longer invariably run by a white guy from England in a communion that is 90% global south”.

Since the Church of England’s governing body voted earlier this year in favour of allowing clergy to bless same-sex marriages, Anglican churches in some developing countries, including South Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have said they no longer recognise Welby as the head of the global church.

Last week, Welby released a statement criticising the Anglican church in Uganda for its vociferous support for the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ+ law. It was a “fundamental departure from our commitment to uphold the freedom and dignity of all people”, he said.

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