Wales: Discerning the Times

As this blog reported at the time the appointment of the Rt Revd Cherry Vann as the new Archbishop of Wales has proved very divisive.

Within days, church leaders from across the Anglican Communion made statements decrying the decision, saying the Church in Wales was "walking away from the truth", contradicting "the consistent witness of Scripture on sexual ethics and leadership qualifications, and placing "another painful nail in the coffin of Anglican orthodoxy."

Now a synod has formally joined those voices. The Diocese of Sydney represents almost half of those regularly attending services in the Anglican Church of Australia and probably twice the number of those who gather in Wales. Their synod met earlier this week, and a motion concerning Archbishop Cherry's appointment was brought, debated, amended and carried.

The motion placed the decision of the Anglican Church in Wales in its theological , historical and global context and calls for prayer for all faithful Anglicans in Wales. The final wording was as follows:

‘Synod –

(a) affirms that all people are made in the image of God, yet have sinned against the God whose image we bear, and recognises Christ’s call for all to repent and to love

our neighbour,

(b) reaffirms Lambeth Resolution 1.10, which upholds loving pastoral care for same-sex

attracted people, while rejecting the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination

of those in such unions,

(c) therefore notes with great concern the election of the Rt Rev Cherry Vann, a person

in a same-sex civil partnership, as Archbishop of Wales,

(d) grieves that this appointment rejects the teaching of Scripture and the words of

Jesus, is inconsistent with the Anglican formularies on marriage, and undermines

Lambeth 1.10,

(e) gives thanks for the humble, faithful and courageous leadership of the Most Rev Dr

Laurent Mbanda and his communique of 2 August 2025 in protest at Archbishop

Vann’s appointment,

(f) further notes that this appointment, alongside developments in the Church of

England, has deepened divisions within the Anglican Communion,

(g) expresses grief and dismay at this development, while giving thanks for faithful

Anglicans in Wales, and

(h) commends prayer for those aligned with the Gafcon-established Anglican Network

in Europe under Bishop Andy Lines, for faithful Anglicans who remain in the Church

in Wales and for all same-sex attracted Christians seeking to live faithfully Christ

according to the Bible’s teaching on marriage and sexuality.’

For those in Sydney this is clearly a time to weep and mourn.

Yet, these concerns do not seem to register amongst the leadership of the Church in Wales. As their (much smaller) synod, or Governing Body, met in Newport this month, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, welcomed Archbishop Cherry and compared her to the biblical heroine, Esther, saying:

"In the course of that [conversation], Esther is informed, 'Who knows but for such as time as this you have been called by God'. Cherry joined us five years ago at a time when the Diocese of Monmouth was facing considerable turmoil. And Cherry demonstrated a graciousness of manner, a sensitivity to circumstance, and a deep love of the people of God, which enabled her to lead that diocese into a position of hope and strength and openness to its future under God. We face somewhat difficult circumstances in the life of the church in Wales at the moment and I know that the Archbishop will wish to address those. But I have no doubt in my mind at all that Archbishop Cherry is the right person to lead the Church in Wales at this juncture."

The right woman at the right time. A time for joy and dancing. A saviour figure at a time when the Church in Wales has to address a litany of financial, sexual, safeguarding and moral scandals and has decisions to make as to whether to bring their 'experimental liturgy' for the blessing of same-sex relationships to an end, to formalise that liturgy or to introduce same-sex marriage.

In her first Presidential address Archbishop Vann recognised there were some who struggled with her appointment, saying:

"Most of all, I've been encouraged and heartened by those who have assured me of their prayers, particularly those who can't accept the ordination of women, never mind a woman in the role of bishop and archbishop, and others who struggle with the fact that there is now an archbishop in Wales who is not only a member of the LGBTQI plus community, but is living in a civil partnership."

She spoke of the need for love, relationship and interconnectedness and told those gathered that she intended to "dedicate the next three years to transforming the culture of the Church in Wales."

Whatever that means for faithful Anglicans in Wales, Anglican Futures joins Sydney Diocesan Synod in commending prayer for

"...those aligned with the Gafcon-established Anglican Network

in Europe under Bishop Andy Lines, for faithful Anglicans who remain in the Church

in Wales and for all same-sex attracted Christians seeking to live faithfully Christ

according to the Bible’s teaching on marriage and sexuality.’"

With thanks to the Church in Wales and Sydney Anglicans for images

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