Religious Groups Push for Changes as Anglican Church Faces Split

Conservative Anglican leaders meeting in Nigeria are considering severing ties with the archbishop of Canterbury over disagreements about gay marriage and LGBTQ+ ordination. Meanwhile, a new campaign backed by Christian organizations is working to overturn the Supreme Court's 2015 same-sex marriage decision.

The worldwide Anglican Church is approaching a potential breaking point as conservative leaders gather in Nigeria this week to discuss whether to maintain their connection to the archbishop of Canterbury. The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, known as Gafcon, strongly disagrees with progressive changes adopted by Western churches, particularly their acceptance of same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy.

This development comes as the historic Anglican Communion leadership announced their own reorganization strategy on Monday, designed to preserve collaboration despite fundamental theological divisions.

In polling news, a recent Gallup survey reveals what Americans consider essential for living well. Nearly all respondents – 97 percent – identified adequate housing as the top requirement. Family relationships ranked second, followed by sufficient sleep, freedom from physical discomfort, and financial security. Religious freedom appeared much lower on the priority list, with only 60 percent of those surveyed describing the ability to practice their faith as important for a fulfilling life.

Texas school districts have largely passed on a new opportunity for daily prayer time in schools. Last year’s state legislation allowed districts to establish prayer periods, requiring local school boards to vote on implementation. Republican legislator David Spiller, who sponsored the measure, reports that roughly 15 out of Texas’s 1,200 school districts have adopted the program. The policy permits students to pray or study religious materials during non-academic time, with mandatory parental permission and attendance restrictions. Several districts that rejected the option noted that existing federal, state, and local policies already permit student-organized prayer activities.

A coalition of Christian advocacy groups has launched the Greater Than Campaign, seeking to challenge the Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage across the United States. Focus on the Family, the American Family Association, and other religious organizations are supporting this effort, coordinated by the group Them Before Us. Campaign organizers argue that “When marriage was redefined, parenthood was too. Once husbands and wives became optional, mothers and fathers became replaceable.” The campaign aims to bring a new legal challenge before the Supreme Court, with multiple states developing legislation to contest marriage equality laws.