An Ad Clerum sent to the Diocese of Brisbane on October 22, 2025.
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ
Over recent days, I have received messages from some of you expressing concern and confusion following the most recent statement from GAFCON, proclaiming itself as the new “Global Anglican Communion”. I write to offer some clarification and reassurance about our life together as part of the Anglican Church of Australia and the Diocese of Brisbane.
The Anglican Church of Australia is governed by a constitution that was adopted in 1961 and that clearly defines who we are and how we are connected within the wider Anglican Communion.
The Constitution states that:
The Anglican Church of Australia, being part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ, holds the Christian Faith as professed by the Church of Christ from primitive times and in particular as set forth in the creeds known as the Nicene Creed and the Apostle’s Creed.
This Church receives all the canonical scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as being the ultimate rule and standard of faith given by inspiration of God and containing all things necessary for salvation.
This Church will remain and be in communion with the Church of England in England and with churches in communion therewith so long as communion is consistent with the Fundamental Declarations contained in this Constitution.
(The Constitution of the Anglican Church of Australia ss.1,2 and 6)
This clause binds our national church — and each diocese within it — to communion with the Church of England and, by extension, with the See of Canterbury. The Archbishop of Canterbury is not our ruler, but communion with that See is an important mark of Anglican identity along with the other “instruments of communion” (i.e. the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and the Primates Meeting). The Instruments of Communion anchor us in a worldwide fellowship that is diverse, imperfect, and within which we walk together in faith and mission.
As the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Anthony Poggo reminded us recently in his pastoral letter, “The one Church is ever reforming, which means that no institution, meeting, network or association of Christians is static. Our life of faithfulness is based in prayer, daily self-renunciation, repentance, and conversion, so that we may receive the mind of Christ and his Spirit, in accordance with holy Scripture. By this pattern of dependence on God and mutual submission to one another, God raises up a faithful, humble, obedient people for his praise, a people capable of taking counsel, making decisions, and sharing the Good News with the world.”
To this end, the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) has invited all member churches of the Communion to consider and respond to The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals which offer some proposals for reshaping the Instruments of Communion.
The unilateral pronouncement from GAFCON pre-empts the discussion of these proposals due at the next meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in 2026, to be hosted in Northern Ireland, and precludes a number of Provinces from being part of that meeting.
From time to time, there are voices that call for change — voices that suggest we should separate ourselves from Canterbury or form new alignments. It is important to understand that changing the Constitution of the Anglican Church of Australia is not a simple or likely process.
An amendment to the Ruling Principles of the Constitution (which includes s 6) requires:
- A majority of all three houses of the General Synod (bishops, clergy, and laity), and that it is
- Assented to by at least three-quarters of diocesan synods across the country, including the agreement of each of the metropolitan sees (Constitution s.67(1)(c))
Such a change would require extraordinary agreement across our deeply diverse national church — agreement that does not exist. Despite those things about which we strongly disagree within the Australian church, we are constitutionally bound together and to the Church of England in a way that cannot be undone simply by pronouncements from one part of the church or another.
While statements and movements beyond our diocese may seek to define Anglicanism narrowly or draw new lines of separation, our calling here in Anglican Church Southern Queensland remains clear.
We are called to preach the gospel, to care for the poor, to welcome the stranger, to nurture the faith of our people, and to be a sign of Christ’s reconciling love in a fractured world.
Division and schism do nothing to advance that mission. They distract us from the work before us — the real, everyday work of being the Church in this place:
- To teach, baptise and nurture new believers;
- To respond to human need by loving service;
- To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation;
- To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth;
- To worship God and celebrate the grace of God; and
- To live as one holy Catholic and apostolic Church.
I know that the ongoing debates within the Anglican Communion can feel wearying, even disheartening. Yet our unity does not depend on uniformity of thought, but on our shared commitment to Christ and the Gospel.
As your Archbishop, I remain steadfast in my commitment to the Anglican Church of Australia and to our communion with the Church of England and the See of Canterbury. I rejoice in the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mulally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and look forward to an opportunity to welcome her back to Brisbane. I ask you to continue to pray for our Church — for wisdom, courage, and gentleness in all that lies ahead.
May we keep our eyes fixed on the work that matters most: the work of proclaiming the Gospel, building inclusive, welcoming community, and embodying the compassion of Christ.
With gratitude for your ministry and prayers for your peace,
Yours in Christ
The Most Reverend Jeremy Greaves KCSJ
Archbishop of Brisbane