Statement on the Recent Selection of the Archbishop of Canterbury

We write not in anger but in love: love for Christ’s Church, love for the apostolic faith, and love for all who seek to follow our Lord faithfully.

We are compelled to speak to the recent elevation of a female to the historic chair of Saint Augustine of Canterbury… to speak clearly about what we believe the Church has received from the Apostles and guarded through the centuries.

We seek to do so with charity toward those who disagree, recognizing their sincere devotion to Christ, while remaining steadfast in our conviction that faithfulness requires us to maintain the sacramental order as it has been understood everywhere, always, by all.

A Call to Faithful Witness

In this hour, we call upon faithful Anglicans...

To pray earnestly for the Church—for those with whom we disagree, for wisdom for all leaders, and for the unity that can only come from truth rooted in Christ.

To stand firm in the faith once delivered to the saints, neither capitulating to contemporary pressures nor responding with bitterness or schismatic spirit, but with the confident gentleness that comes from resting in apostolic truth.

To remain vigilant in teaching and forming the next generation in the fullness of catholic faith and practice, ensuring that what we have received, we pass on faithfully.

To seek communion with those Anglicans worldwide who maintain this historic understanding, strengthening bonds with orthodox Anglicans worldwide.

To bear witness with charity, recognizing that how we disagree matters, and ensure our manner commends the faith we profess.

The path ahead may be difficult. We may face pressure to compromise or be accused of narrow-mindedness. Yet we trust that the same Holy Spirit who guided the Apostles continues to guide the Church, and that faithfulness to the deposit of faith will bear fruit in God’s timing, not our own. May the Lord grant us grace to be faithful witnesses in this generation, holding fast to the tradition we have received while extending the hand of peace to all who name the Name of Christ.

In the unity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.