Letter from the Bishops and Officers of the Synod Church of Pakistan
The Bishops and Officers of the Synod Church of Pakistan have written to the Secretary General of the ACC reflecting on the appointment of the new Archbishop of Wales. The Rt Revd Leo Rodrick Paul, Bishop of our link diocese of Multan and his wife, Mrs Honey Sadaf, are signatories.
A Call to Return - Reflections on the Appointment of the New Archbishop of Wales
August 8, 2025
The Rt Revd Anthony Poggo
Secretary General
The Anglican Consultative Council
London, United Kingdom
Dear Bishop Anthony Poggo
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The recent election of the Rt. Revd. Cherry Vann, Bishop of Monmouth, as Archbishop of Wales, has prompted deep concern and grief among us in the Church of Pakistan. While we recognise the significant nature of this moment for the Church in Wales, we also feel compelled to reflect prayerfully on its broader theological and missional implications for the global Church, with particular focus on the Anglican Communion, especially its United Churches that are in partnership with it and share in its spiritual, doctrinal, and ecclesial life. Decisions made in one Province inevitably influence the wider body, affecting our shared witness, unity, and credibility, especially in regions where the Church serves in challenging and often hostile environments.
This appointment, being the first woman and the first openly partnered bishop in such a role, represents a significant development not only within the Church in Wales but across the wider Body of Christ. While we uphold the principle that each province governs its affairs, we cannot see this merely as an internal or administrative matter. Decisions of this kind inevitably affect our shared witness, doctrine, and fellowship, especially within a communion that claims a common faith and apostolic foundation.
We write with reverence and humility. Our concerns are neither political nor personal but stem from our sincere belief that this decision marks a departure from the biblical pattern of spiritual leadership. We raise our voice not in condemnation, but in lament—grieved by what we perceive as a strain upon the shared communion and unity we hold dear, which has been nurtured through our common faith. We are compelled to raise four areas of grave concern:
Biblical Teaching and Moral Theology
The appointment contradicts the consistent witness of Scripture on sexual ethics and leadership qualifications.
Communion and Shared Faith
Our partnership as global Anglicans is built on shared beliefs; when those foundations shift, our fellowship is shaken.
Cultural and Missional Impact
In contexts like Pakistan, where Christians live as a minority, such decisions feed hostile narratives that endanger our witness and well-being.
Unity in Diversity
True unity does not come through agreement with culture, but through shared submission to Christ and His Word.
We urge the Church of Wales to remember her witness to the Church of Pakistan through the Church Mission Society, the global impact of fostering church growth via the Welsh Revival over a century ago, and the sacrifice of many Welsh missionaries who laboured until their final breath to expand the church in Korea and China. Figures such as Robert Jermain Thomas, a Welshman who died holding his Bible as he extended it to his executioner, exemplify this dedication. Today, the Church of Pakistan extends the same Holy Bible to the Church of Wales, urging her to accept its words not as mere counsel, but as the foundational tenets of the faith of the Church.
We prayerfully hope that the Church of Wales and others who have departed may return to her first love and seek reconciliation with Christ and His bride. A departure from this path necessitates a cry to God in solemn and humble repentance to avert an inevitable spiritual famine within her jurisdiction. We join in prayer, trusting that our supplications will be met with God’s mercy and man’s willingness to discern ways to embody holiness, uphold truth, and lead the people of God to Christ the Good Shepherd.
A Plea in Prayerful Hope
We write not from a place of condemnation, but with grief, humility, and earnest love—grief over a once-cherished communion strained by theological compromise; humility as fellow sinners in need of grace; and love for the Church of Wales, with its historic contribution to global mission and Christian witness. Even now, we do not lose hope.
Our aspiration is for the restoration and recovery of the Church from this dangerous drift into moral decay. We continue to pray fervently for the Church of Wales, a church that has been missionally active, which has endured many internal battles, and is intricately woven into the fabric of England’s monarchy. This church has been entrusted with much, and thus, much will be expected of it. We implore that it be repaired and healed through genuine, remorseful surrender to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by taking up the cross and following Christ faithfully, regardless of the cost. May the Holy Spirit empower us all to bear a clear and unwavering witness to Jesus Christ, His Gospel, and the purest love revealed through His sacrificial death for His Church.
We pray that the Church of Wales might turn again to the truth and authority of God's Word, to walk no longer according to the patterns of the world, but to be renewed in holiness, humility, and repentance. We pray that it may once again proclaim, without compromise, the transforming power of the Gospel.
Let this moment be not a final breach, but a holy invitation to return to Christ, to the Cross, and to the faith once and for all entrusted to the saints. As bishops of the Church of Pakistan, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the orthodox teaching of the historic Christian faith. In the spirit of Jude 1:3, we solemnly and joyfully affirm, "Contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people."
May the Holy Spirit grant us all the courage to follow Christ whatever the cost and to stand in truth with love for the sake of His Church and the glory of His name.
In Christ,
The Bishops and Officers of the Synod Church of Pakistan
1.The Most Rev. Dr. Azad Marshall, Moderator/President Bishop, Church of Pakistan & Bishop of Raiwind
2. The Rt. Rev. Kaleem John, Deputy Moderator, Synod, Church of Pakistan & Bishop of Hyderabad
3. The Rt. Rev. Humphrey S. Peters, Bishop of Peshawar, Diocese of Peshawar, Church of Pakistan
4. The Rt. Rev. Leo Rodrick Paul, Bishop of Multan, Diocese of Multan, Church of Pakistan
5. The Rt. Rev. Alwin John Samuel, Bishop of Sialkot, Diocese of Sialkot, Church of Pakistan
6. The Rt. Rev. Fredrick John, Bishop of Karachi, Diocese of Karachi & Baluchistan, Church of Pakistan
7. The Rt. Rev. Aleem Anwar, Bishop of Faisalabad, Diocese of Faisalabad, Church of Pakistan
8. Mrs. Honey Sadaf, Treasurer, Synod Church of Pakistan
9. Mr. Shahzad Khurram, General Secretary, Synod Church of Pakistan