How have disagreements about women bishops and same-sex relationships affected unity in the Anglican Communion?

Disagreements regarding the ordination of women and the inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals have significantly strained the unity of the Anglican Communion, creating deep divisions between liberal-leaning provinces—primarily in the United Kingdom, North America, and Canada—and traditionalist churches in the Global South, including those in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.12

Impact on Communion Unity

• Ordination of Women: The move by various national churches to ordain women as priests and bishops faced strong opposition from traditionalist leaders, who view these developments as departures from historic faith. The 2025 appointment of the first female archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, led the Church of Nigeria to sever ties with the Church of England.13
• Same-Sex Relationships: The 2003 consecration of V. Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop, along with the blessing of same-sex unions, incensed conservatives. These actions prompted traditionalists to form alternative institutions, such as the Anglican Church in North America, and led to the creation of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) as a platform for traditionalist values.124
• Institutional Sanctions: In response to these internal conflicts, the Anglican Communion has faced pressure to reconcile, at times imposing sanctions on member churches—such as the Episcopal Church—by limiting their participation in ecumenical dialogue and doctrinal decision-making.425