THE Church of Ireland has been drawn into the growing global Anglican rift after two diocesan bishops publicly endorsed GAFCON’s rejection of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s authority.
The Bishop of Down & Dromore, the Rt Revd David McClay, a trustee of GAFCON Ireland, signalled to The Church of Ireland Gazette his approval of the GAFCON communiqué “The Future Has Arrived”, which declares the movement to be the true Anglican Communion. Bishop McClay said that GAFCON supporters “have not departed from historic Anglicanism as others have in recent decades”, describing adherence to “biblical truth” to be part of his ordination vows.
Similarly, the Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh, the Rt Revd Ferran Glenfield, spoke of “a realignment happening”, in which “the centre of gravity” was “moving south from Canterbury”.
Two days later, the Archbishops of Armagh and Dublin — the Most Revd John McDowell and the Most Revd Michael Jackson — issued a joint statement reaffirming the Church of Ireland’s full participation in the historic Anglican Communion and its communion with Canterbury. The Archbishops emphasised that the Church of Ireland recognised “no body other than . . . the Anglican Communion”.
While the Archbishops welcomed reform movements, they insisted that such efforts “must occur within the Communion’s established structures”. The statement closely echoed the tone of the response issued by the Anglican Communion’s Secretary General, Bishop Anthony Poggo, who similarly warned against “parallel jurisdictions”.
The timing and tone of the Archbishops’ statement appeared to contradict Bishop McClay’s remarks directly in a rare public clash between Primates and bishops in Ireland. The Gazette asked Archbishop McDowell whether the Bishop and diocese of Down & Dromore remained in communion with the Church of Ireland; he declined to comment.
Meanwhile, the Church of Ireland Evangelical Fellowship issued a statement, affirming full subscription to the Church’s constitutional Preamble and Declaration — which commits it to communion with the Church of England — while nodding to shared fellowship with “other Christian Churches agreeing in the principles of this Declaration”.
Parish responses have been mixed. The Rector of St Elizabeth’s, Belfast, the Revd Ross Mungavin, acknowledged “a place of tension” in a parish in Bishop McClay’s diocese which affirms both the Church of Ireland’s Constitution and GAFCON’s Jerusalem Declaration. He said: “We love the Church of Ireland and are praying that God would restore his gospel to its heart once again. But we also long to be faithful to Christ and to be in communion with sister Churches globally who share our commitment.”
While little would change week to week, “in another sense, everything has changed,” he said. He expressed a hope that the Church of Ireland might one day “join the Global Anglican Communion”.
The Revd Trevor Johnston of All Saints’, Belfast, in the diocese of Connor, said that “the Instruments of Communion have effectively placed themselves out of communion with the majority of Anglicans worldwide.”. He argued that GAFCON represented the “majority” of global Anglicans.
Other clergy have declined to make public comment.
Should any diocese or bishop seek formal alignment with GAFCON’s “Global Anglican Communion”, it would raise ecclesiastical and legal issues in relation to such matters as property, endowments, and clergy stipends, which are controlled by the Church of Ireland’s Representative Church Body.
The next Anglican Consultative Council meeting, to which all Anglican Provinces are invited, will be hosted by the Church of Ireland in Belfast, in 2026.
Clark Brydon is the Editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette.
