Prince Asukwo Antai, [1] formerly former Archdeacon of Abak, [2] is an Anglican bishop in Nigeria: [3] he is the current Bishop of Uyo [4] one of nine in the Anglican Province of the Niger Delta, itself one of 14 within the Church of Nigeria. [5]
He was elected as Bishop of Uyo at the 11th General Synod of the Church of Nigeria, held at the Cathedral Church of the Good Shepherd, Enugu, in September 2014. [6]
The Church of Nigeria is the Anglican church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptised membership, after the Church of England. As of 2016 it gives its membership as "over 18 million", out of a total Nigerian population of 190 million. It is "effectively the largest province in the Communion." As measured by active membership, the Church of Nigeria has nearly 2 million active baptised members. According to a study published by Cambridge University Press in the Journal of Anglican Studies, there are between 4.94 and 11.74 million Anglicans in Nigeria. The Church of Nigeria is the largest Anglican province on the continent of Africa, accounting for 41.7% of Anglicans in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is "probably the first [largest within the Anglican Communion] in terms of active members."
Since the 1990s, the Anglican Communion has struggled with controversy regarding homosexuality in the church. In 1998, the 13th Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops passed a resolution "rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture". However, this is not legally binding. "Like all Lambeth Conference resolutions, it is not legally binding on all provinces of the Communion, including the Church of England, though it commends an essential and persuasive view of the attitude of the Communion." "Anglican national churches in Brazil, South Africa, South India, New Zealand and Canada have taken steps toward approving and celebrating same-sex relationships amid strong resistance among other national churches within the 80 million-member global body. The Episcopal Church in the U.S. has allowed same-sex marriage since 2015, and the Scottish Episcopal Church has allowed same-sex marriage since 2017." "Church of England clergy have appeared to signal support for gay marriage after they rejected a bishops' report which said that only a man and woman could marry in church." At General Synod in 2019, the Church of England announced that same-gender couples may remain recognised as married after one spouse experiences a gender transition. In 2023, the Church of England announced that it would authorise "prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and for God's blessing for same-sex couples."
The Anglican realignment is a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada. Two of the major events that contributed to the movement were the 2002 decision of the Diocese of New Westminster in Canada to authorise a rite of blessing for same-sex unions, and the nomination of two openly gay priests in 2003 to become bishops. Jeffrey John, an openly gay priest with a long-time partner, was appointed to be the next Bishop of Reading in the Church of England and the General Convention of the Episcopal Church ratified the election of Gene Robinson, an openly gay non-celibate man, as Bishop of New Hampshire. Jeffrey John ultimately declined the appointment due to pressure.
The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is a Christian denomination in the Anglican tradition in the United States and Canada. It also includes ten congregations in Mexico, two mission churches in Guatemala, and a missionary diocese in Cuba. Headquartered in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, the church reported 977 congregations and 124,999 members in 2022. The first archbishop of the ACNA was Robert Duncan, who was succeeded by Foley Beach in 2014.
Primates in the Anglican Communion are the most senior bishop or archbishop of one of the 42 churches of the Anglican Communion. The Church of England, however, has two primates, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York.
Josiah Atkins Idowu-Fearon is a Nigerian Anglican bishop. Since 2015, he has been Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council. He was previously the Bishop of Kaduna diocese and the Archbishop of the Province of Kaduna in the Church of Nigeria.
The Anglican Province of Niger Delta is one of the 14 ecclesiastical provinces of the Church of Nigeria. It comprises 13 dioceses. The Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Niger Delta and Bishop of Calabar is Tunde Adeleye.
Christian Ugwuzor is an Anglican bishop in Nigeria: he is the current Bishop of Aba, one of nine within the Anglican Province of Aba, itself one of 14 provinces within the Church of Nigeria.
The Anglican Diocese of Uyo is one of ten within the Anglican Province of the Niger Delta, itself one of 14 provinces within the Church of Nigeria. The current bishop is Prince Asukwo Antai.
Tubokosemie Aberei is a retired Anglican bishop in Nigeria: he was the Bishop of Okrika, one of nine in the Anglican Province of Niger Delta, itself one of fourteen within the Church of Nigeria.
James Olaoti Akinola was an Anglican bishop in Nigeria. He was the pioneer Bishop of Igbomina-West, one of eight in the Anglican Province of Kwara, itself one of 14 within the Church of Nigeria.
Emmanuel Egbunu is the Diocesan Bishop of Lokoja; and the Archbishop Emeritus of the Anglican Province of Lokoja, one of 14 within the Church of Nigeria.
The Anglican Diocese of Oru is one of twelve within the Anglican Province of Owerri, itself one of fourteen provinces within the Church of Nigeria. The current bishop is Geoffrey Chukwunenye.
The Anglican Diocese of On the Coast is one of twelve within the Anglican Province of Ondo, itself one of 14 provinces within the Church of Nigeria: the current bishop is the Rt Rev. Seyi Pirisola.
Ezekiel Bolarinde Dahunsi is an Anglican bishop in Nigeria: a former archdeacon, he was Bishop of Idoani until 2020 when he retired.
Titus Babatunde Olayinka is the Anglican Bishop of Ogbomoso in Ibadan Province of the Church of Nigeria.
Isaac Enenbiyo Orama was the Anglican Bishop of Uyo in Niger Delta Province from 2006 until his death after a long illness in 2014.
Emmanuel Ebenezer Nglass was the Anglican Bishop of Uyo in Niger Delta Province of the Church of Nigeria from 1990 until 2005.