from AAC
Bishops and Anglican leaders from across the Global Anglican Communion gathered for the second day of the GAFCON Council in Abuja with a clear and recurring theme: the future of Anglican unity must be grounded in the authority of Scripture and the historic faith of the Church. As discussions continue about the reordering of global Anglican structures, the day’s preaching and teaching emphasized the spiritual foundations that shaped the GAFCON movement from the beginning.
The morning began with worship and a sermon from the Rt. Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Egbunu, Bishop of Lokoja and Archbishop Emeritus of the Province of Lokoja. Preaching from the book of Joshua, Bishop Egbunu warned that indecision is dangerous for the people of God and called the gathered leaders to take a clear stand for the faith. Drawing on the history of the Reformation and the witness of the Oxford martyrs, he reminded the congregation of Hugh Latimer’s famous words before his execution in 1555: “We shall this day light such a candle in England as I trust shall never be put out.” The church today, he said, stands in a similar moment, where faithful Christians must be willing to say again, “Here I stand.”
Reflecting on Joshua, Bishop Egbunu noted the repeated emphasis on boundaries, pointing out that the word “boundary” appears dozens of times in the biblical account of Israel’s inheritance. These boundaries, he explained, carry spiritual significance for the church today. “It was the need to stay within biblical boundaries that gave birth to GAFCON,” he said, describing the movement as a call to authentic, Christ-exalting Christianity. God, he reminded the congregation, tolerates no idols, whether ancient or modern.
The bishop challenged those present to begin with personal conviction, calling them to renewed faithfulness in their own lives and households. Faithfulness, he said, may require putting aside unhealthy relationships and refusing to compromise with ideas that undermine the authority of Scripture. The Anglican Communion’s current crisis, he suggested, is fueled in part by a reluctance to confront such compromises.