GAFCON
GAFCON
Full Name: Global Anglican Future Conference Also Known As: Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Founded: 2008, Jerusalem, Israel Website: gafcon.org Motto: “The Bible at the Heart of the Anglican Communion.”
Overview
GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference) is a global movement of Anglicans committed to guarding the truth and authority of Scripture, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, and renewing the Anglican Communion in faithfulness to its biblical and historic foundations.
Gafcon describes itself as: > “A global movement, gathering authentic Anglicans, guarding God’s gospel, growing orthodox leaders, and generating missional resources, for the glory of God.”
The movement is founded on the Bible, bound together by the Jerusalem Declaration (2008), and led by a Primates Council representing the majority of the world’s Anglicans.
Vision and Purpose
Gafcon’s vision is to see **the Bible at the heart of the Anglican Communion.** It seeks to unite faithful Anglicans worldwide in a fellowship grounded in Scripture, orthodoxy, and mission.
Its key values are summarized as:
- Global Movement — A worldwide fellowship of authentic Anglicans.
- Bible-Based — Founded on the supreme authority of Holy Scripture.
- Orthodox Anglican — Rooted in the historic formularies and creeds.
- Gospel Mission — Proclaiming Christ faithfully to the nations.
History
Background
In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, significant theological and moral controversies emerged within the Anglican Communion. Disputes over biblical authority, sexual ethics, and church discipline led to deep divisions among provinces.
Key Historical Events
- 1998 — The Lambeth Conference adopts Resolution I.10, affirming marriage between one man and one woman and abstinence before marriage, while urging pastoral care for those of same-sex attraction.
- 2002 — The Diocese of New Westminster (Anglican Church of Canada) authorizes liturgies to bless same-sex unions. Eight parishes seek alternative episcopal oversight.
- 2003 — A clergyman in a same-sex relationship, having divorced his wife, is consecrated as a bishop in the Episcopal Church (USA).
- 2008 — In response to these developments, Anglican leaders convene the first Global Anglican Future Conference in Jerusalem, creating Gafcon to guard and proclaim biblical truth globally and provide fellowship for orthodox Anglicans.
The Birth of Gafcon
Over 1,000 Anglicans—including Primates, Archbishops, bishops, clergy, and lay leaders—gathered in Jerusalem for the first Gafcon Conference in 2008. This event produced the Jerusalem Statement (2008) and the Jerusalem Declaration (2008), foundational documents that define Gafcon’s identity and mission.
Subsequent Conferences
- 2013 – Nairobi, Kenya: Gafcon II gathered over 1,300 delegates from 38 nations and 27 provinces. The conference issued the Nairobi Communiqué and Commitment, mandating the Primates to continue leading the movement.
- 2018 – Jerusalem, Israel: Gafcon III reaffirmed the authority of Scripture and the centrality of the gospel.
- 2019 – Dubai, UAE: Regional gathering strengthening fellowship in the Middle East.
- 2022 – Kigali, Rwanda: Focused on renewal and unity among Global South and Gafcon provinces.
A forthcoming global conference, G26, will convene in Abuja, Nigeria, in March 2026 to celebrate the Global Anglican Communion Declaration (2025).
Leadership
Gafcon is governed by a Primates Council, comprising the leading archbishops and primates of participating provinces. The Council elects a Chairman, serving as primus inter pares (“first among equals”), who presides over its meetings.
As of 2025, the Chairman is:
- The Most Revd Dr Laurent Mbanda, Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Rwanda.
The Primates Council represents the majority of the world’s Anglicans and works through regional networks and task forces devoted to mission, discipleship, and theological education.
Theology
Gafcon holds to the orthodox Anglican faith as expressed in:
- The Holy Bible as the Word of God written;
- The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion;
- The Book of Common Prayer (1662);
- The historic Creeds and Ecumenical Councils of the Church.
It defines Anglican identity through adherence to the Jerusalem Declaration (2008).
Purpose and Activities
Gafcon serves to:
- Guard the gospel against revisionist teaching.
- Provide fellowship and recognition for orthodox Anglicans worldwide.
- Train and support clergy and lay leaders.
- Resource mission and evangelism globally.
- Strengthen provincial and diocesan cooperation apart from Canterbury-centered structures.
Relationship to the Anglican Communion
Gafcon affirms that it remains within historic Anglicanism but rejects the authority of certain Instruments of Communion—notably the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lambeth Conference, Anglican Consultative Council, and Primates’ Meeting—when these fail to uphold biblical doctrine.
In 2025, Gafcon declared the establishment of the Global Anglican Communion Declaration (2025), marking a structural reordering of the worldwide Anglican family.
Media and Outreach
Gafcon maintains an active global presence through digital media, publications, podcasts, and regional events. The movement encourages all Anglicans to “Join the Gafcon Movement” and participate in prayer, financial support, and global witness.
See Also
- Jerusalem Declaration (2008)
- Jerusalem Statement (2008)
- Global Anglican Communion Declaration (2025)
- Anglican Realignment
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion
- Book of Common Prayer (1662)
External Links
This article is part of the AnglicanWiki project documenting the orthodox Anglican movement and the global realignment of the Communion in the twenty-first century.