The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has publicly and strongly condemned the recent election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann as the new Archbishop of Wales. In a bold and pointed statement, the Nigerian Church characterized the development as a dangerous departure from foundational Christian teachings and a betrayal of long-standing Anglican orthodoxy.
Vann, who was elected on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, secured her position as the 15th Archbishop of Wales after gaining the required two-thirds majority during a meeting of the Church in Wales’s Electoral College. The session took place at St Pierre Church and Hotel in Chepstow. Her election follows the retirement of Bishop Andrew John, who previously held the office.
What makes her election particularly contentious in the eyes of the Church of Nigeria is not only her theological stance but also her openly gay lifestyle and civil partnership with Wendy Diamond. These elements, according to the Nigerian Anglican leadership, are incompatible with biblical doctrine and represent a deliberate compromise of the authority of Scripture.
In an official statement signed by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, the Church made it clear that it would not recognize Vann’s elevation to Archbishop. The statement expressed dismay at what it described as a continuation of “unfaithful leadership” within certain sectors of the global Anglican community.
“We recall with sadness her passive and complicit role in the same-sex crisis that tore the Anglican Communion apart,” the statement noted. “The story of Rt. Rev. Vann reminds us of the sad tenure of Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, under whose leadership faithful Anglicans in the United States suffered persecution.”
According to Ndukuba, Vann’s election symbolizes a broader and troubling trend across some Anglican provinces—namely, a rejection of sound doctrine and a willingness to embrace ideologies that, in his view, have no biblical or divine support. He accused the Church in Wales of sacrificing timeless biblical truths for the sake of cultural acceptance and modern political correctness.
“With the election of Bishop Vann, biblical ethics and the identity of Anglicans globally are at stake,” he warned. “This trend imperils not only the salvation of souls but also damages the spiritual authority and missionary credibility of the Anglican Church around the world.”
The Nigerian Primate called on faithful Anglicans everywhere to resist what he described as “theological rebellion.” He urged believers to remain aligned with biblically faithful groups such as GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference), which continue to uphold conservative doctrines rooted in Scripture.
“As a matter of urgency, the Church of Nigeria believes that this moment calls for prayer for the Church of Wales,” Ndukuba stated. “We hope the Church of England will not follow in her steps.”
In closing, Ndukuba issued a solemn warning that unless repentance and godliness prevail, the Church in Wales risks losing its spiritual relevance entirely. “Hope lies only in true repentance and godliness,” he declared. “Otherwise, this Church will lose complete relevance in the divine scheme for the people of Wales, and the leaders in compromise shall not be spared in time of judgment.”[/p>