Anglican Church in Australia Splits as Conservatives Reject Endorsement of Same-Sex Marriage

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (C) leaves a special ecumenical service to mark the start of the parliamentary year at St Paul’s Anglican church in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 12, 2019. Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images

Australia’s Anglican Church has split after conservatives who want to uphold traditional marriage ethics formed a new diocese which it describes as a “lifeboat” for faithful Anglicans. 

The Diocese of the Southern Cross was announced at the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Canberra on Sunday. GAFCON is an international coalition of conservative church leaders, which is chaired by Tasmania’s Anglican Bishop Richard Condie.