Home News GAFCON III largest pan-Anglican gathering since Toronto Congress of 1963

GAFCON III largest pan-Anglican gathering since Toronto Congress of 1963

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Fifty four countries represented among the 1966 delegates

The largest pan-Anglican gathering since the 1963 Toronto Congress released its attendance figures as of the third morning of the 18-23 June 2018 gathering in Jerusalem.

Statistics released by the GAFCON media team led by the Rev. Canon Andrew Gross of the ACNS reported that 1966 delegates were in attendance — visa and immigration issues had led to some delays, with 8 Ghanaians arriving today. Anglicans in nations locally affiliated with GAFCON whose governments do not permit travel to Israel (Iran, Sudan, the Middle East) are not at the Jerusalem conference, while the proportion of Anglo-Catholics at the gathering is smaller than at GAFCON I and II.

The controversy over the consecration of the Rt. Rev. Elizabeth Awut, Suffragan Bishop of Rumbek in South Sudan, has been an ongoing point of concern for Catholic Anglicans. As of May, conference organizers were unable to confirm whether Bishop Awut would be present (she is not), prompting the Rt. Rev. Keith Ackerman (retired Bishop of Quincy), the bishops of the ACNA Missionary Diocese of All Saints and others Catholic Anglican lay leaders and clergy to skip the conference.

Not all those who registered and where in attendance ticked off all the boxes in their forms. GAFCON reports that 1292 men and 670 women are present. Of those who declared their status, 993 were clergy and 973 were lay people. Of the clergy, 94 where female priests and deacons.

Thirty-eight active and retired archbishops are at GAFCON. Nine current primates are in Jerusalem: Venables of South America, Ole Sapit of Kenya, Than Oo of Myanmar, Okoh of Nigeria, Wong of the Indian Ocean, Ntagali of Uganda, Mbanda of Rwanda, Beach of the ACNA and Uchoa of the Anglican Church of Brazil. The primates of South Sudan (Badi Arama) and Tanzania (Mndolwa) had registered but were prevented from attending. One was unable to secure a visa to Israel, the other stated he was unable to come at the last moment. Suheil Dawani, the Primate of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East addressed the conference on its first day, but is not a registered delegate from his church.

Seven retired primates are also present: Archbishops Akinola of Nigeria, Duncan of ACNA, Wabukala of Kenya, Chimeledya of Tanzania, Rwaje of Rwanda and Zavala of South America. Daniel Deng Bul of South Sudan was unable to secure a visa.

Of the 993 clergy delegates, 333 are bishops.

Delegates come from 53 nations:

Argentina (2)

Australia (218)

Bermuda (4)

Brazil (15)

Burundi (1)

Cambodia (1)

Canada (58)

Chile (15)

Congo (34)

Croatia (1)

Denmark (2)

Egypt (6)

Ethiopia (2)

Fiji (2)

France (2)

Gambia (1)

Germany (4)

Ghana (9)

Guinea (2)

Hong Kong (2)

India (2)

Ireland (6)

Israel (2)

Jersey (1)

Jordan (1)

Kenya (75)

Madagascar (6)

Malawi (3)

Malaysia (8)

Mexico (2)

Mozambique (1)

Myanmar (10)

Namibia (1)

Netherlands (1)

New Zealand (56)

Nigeria (472)

Papua New Guinea (2)

Paraguay (1)

Philippines (1)

Rwanda (47)

Seychelles (4)

Sierra Leone (2)

Singapore (9)

South Africa (16)

South Sudan (20)

Tanzania (26)

Turkey (1)

Uganda (232)

UAE (2)

UK (204)

USA (367)

Zimbabwe (1)

Other (3)