Canterbury Archbishop Justin Welby. (Courtesy photo).

More than 10 Anglican clerics including Primate Justin Badi Arama of South Sudan, say they no longer recognize Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury as their leader over alleged deviation from the Church teachings on marriage.

Early this month, the Church of England’s legislative assembly known as the General Synod, to which Archbishop Justin Welby is the leader, approved blessings for same-sex civil partnerships.

After the decision of the Church of England to legitimize and incorporate into the Church’s liturgy the blessing of same sex unions, the primates of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) met virtually on 13 Feb 2023 under the chairmanship of Archbishop Justin Badi “to discuss our response.”

In a statement, they then announced they no longer consider the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby after accusing the Church of England of having taken “the path of false teaching”, and going against “historical biblical faith.”

“The Church of England is the “historic first” province, but now that it has departed from the historic faith the responsibility falls to the remaining orthodox Primates,” reads the statement.

“We will not walk away from the Communion that has so richly blessed us and for whose faithfulness to God and His word our forebears have paid a costly price.”

The joint statement says the Global South Primates will expeditiously meet, consult and work with other orthodox Primates in the Anglican Church across the nations “to reset the Communion on its biblical foundation.”

The statement has been endorsed by primates of South Sudan, Zavala, Chile, Indian Ocean, Congo, Myanmar, North America, Bangladesh, Uganda, Sudan, Alexandria, Brazil and Melanesia.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has told the BBC that he appreciates the bishops’ stance, but that no structural changes to the Anglican Communion could be made without his consent.