GafconEdit
Gafcon, short for Global Anglican Future Conference, is a global fellowship of Anglican churches and faithful Christians united around a shared commitment to biblical authority, orthodoxy, and mission. Born out of doctrinal and moral controversies within the Anglican world, the movement seeks to preserve what its adherents regard as the church’s historic teaching in the face of liberal trends in some western provinces. The defining document of the movement is the Jerusalem Declaration (adopted at the first GAFCON gathering in 2008), which asserts the canonical authority of Scripture and the apostolic faith, while affirming episcopal governance and a strong emphasis on evangelism and church planting.
Gafcon arose from a sense that the Anglican Communion was no longer consistently guarding biblical doctrine in some western sees, particularly as debates over sexuality, marriage, and female ordination became norm-setting in places like the Anglican Church in North America and various western provinces. The movement organized its first international conference in Jerusalem in 2008, bringing together primates and bishops from across the globe who stood for doctrinal faithfulness and mission. Since then, GAFCON has continued to meet in major regional gatherings, most notably GAFCON II in Nairobi (2013) and GAFCON III in Jerusalem (2018), coordinating efforts across provinces and networks that align with its program of reform and renewal. The movement’s reach extends into Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and, in more limited form, North America and Australia, reflecting a demographic shift in global Anglican life toward the Global South. See Anglican realignment for broader context.
Origins and Foundations
- 2008: The first Global Anglican Future Conference convened in Jerusalem, articulating a common confession and a framework for a renewed Anglican identity grounded in Scripture and apostolic teaching. The assembly endorsed the Jerusalem Declaration, a clarifying document that defines the standards by which Anglicans in the network judge doctrine, practice, and discipline.
- 2009 onward: A new pattern of fellowship and organizational ties began to take shape, especially as western provinces faced ongoing disputes over sexuality and authority, while many churches in the Global South pursued vigorous growth and mission expansion.
- 2009 onward: The formation of parallel or alternative structures in North America, such as the Anglican Church in North America, reflected a desire to maintain fellowship with historic Anglican formularies while remaining outside certain western provinces. These developments fed into the broader realignment that GAFCON champions, emphasizing accountability to Scripture and the historic episcopate. See Anglican realignment.
- The movement maintains ongoing governance through the GAFCON Primates Council and related networks, including the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, which links bishops, clergy, and lay leaders who share the confessional stance.
Structure and Membership
- Governance: GAFCON operates through a Primates Council and regional networks that coordinate doctrine, mission strategy, and episcopal accountability. The structure is designed to empower local churches and provincial bodies that adhere to the Jerusalem Declaration and related commitments.
- Networks: The movement encompasses a constellation of provinces, dioceses, and networks. Principal allies have been the Anglican churches of several African nations, along with ministries in Asia, the Pacific, and North America. See Church of Nigeria; Anglican Church of Kenya; Church of Uganda; Anglican Church in Tanzania; Anglican Church of Australia.
- North America: In the United States and Canada, GAFCON-affiliated structures exist alongside, and in some cases separate from, the historic episcopate of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada, with the ACNA and the Anglican Network in Canada representing a centripetal force for orthodox Anglicanism in those regions. See Anglican Church in North America; Anglican Network in Canada.
- Global reach: The provinces and regional bodies most closely associated with GAFCON include those in the Global South, where biblical preaching, church planting, and rapid growth characterize local churches.
Beliefs and Practices
- Scripture and tradition: Central to GAFCON is the belief that Scripture is the authoritative standard for faith and life, complemented by the historic teachings of the church. The Jerusalem Declaration emphasizes fidelity to the gospel as handed down through the apostolic witness and the creeds.
- Doctrinal conservatism on moral issues: The movement tends to uphold traditional Anglican understandings of sexuality and marriage, and it advocates for a cautious approach to doctrinal innovations that appear to depart from biblical norms in scripture interpretation and church discipline. Because practices vary by province, there is no single uniform stance on every issue, but the overall consensus in the GAFCON fold is a conservative reading of biblical anthropology and ecclesial order.
- Mission and governance: A strong emphasis is placed on evangelism, church growth, and the establishment of self-sustaining, mission-minded churches. The historic episcopate and apostolic succession are valued as means by which the church safeguards orthodoxy and unity. See Jerusalem Declaration.
- Worship and liturgy: While liturgical practice varies, GAFCON-affiliated communities generally favor worship that is biblically grounded and pastorally attentive to doctrinal clarity, with a preference for reverent, scripturally shaped liturgies in line with historic Anglican formularies. See Anglican Church in North America for comparative practice.
Controversies and Debates
- Unity vs. autonomy: Critics argue that the formation of parallel structures and networks undermines the unity of the Anglican Communion, creating a "two-track" reality in which orthodox Anglicans operate outside traditional ecumenical channels. Proponents respond that doctrinal integrity and gospel mission require clear accountability to biblical truth and episcopal oversight, especially when Western provinces drift from historic faith in key areas. See Anglican Communion.
- Schism charges: Detractors claim that realignment movements represent schism or disobedience to the broader church. Supporters counter that the Anglican body has long tolerated variety within bounds of shared faith, and that realignment arises when those bounds are crossed in practice, not merely in opinion. See Lambeth Conference.
- The sexuality debate: The GAFCON position on sexuality and marriage has brought it into national and regional disputes between provinces that have adopted more liberal policies and those that hold to traditional ethics. Critics label this stance as exclusionary; supporters argue it preserves the gospel’s moral clarity for future generations and protects ministry integrity in mission fields where social norms are different. From a GAFCON perspective, critics in heavily liberal settings often treat biblical ethics as negotiable, which undermines the church’s witness in a culture increasingly skeptical of Christian moral claims. See Same-sex marriage.
- Western critique and “woke” rhetoric: In debates about GAFCON, some western observers describe the movement as resistant to inclusion or progressivism. Advocates contend that such criticisms misread a faithful commitment to Scripture and to the gospel’s universal demands, arguing that the real challenge is preserving the church’s witness in a rapidly changing world. They frame calls for doctrinal revision as a political media narrative rather than a theological corrective, and they emphasize that the real mission is faithful preaching, disciplined formation, and robust global growth. See Anglican Church in North America.
Global Impact and Notable Provisions
- Growth in the Global South: GAFCON has played a major role in shaping Anglican life where churches are expanding rapidly and where biblically faithful evangelism is finding fertile ground. Provinces like Church of Nigeria and Anglican Church of Kenya have been particularly influential in setting doctrinal norms and in mobilizing resources for global mission.
- Relationship with ACNA and ANiC: In North America, groupings such as the ACNA have sought to maintain Anglican identity and orthodoxy while continuing mission across diverse urban and rural contexts. The Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) represents similar aims in Canada. See Anglican Church in North America; Anglican Network in Canada.
- Theological education and leadership development: GAFCON networks sponsor theological training, ecclesial leadership, and Scripture-centered preaching to equip clergy and lay leaders for sustained ministry in their local contexts. See Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.