Our History
AMiE is a product of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA), the movement that came into being following the first Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON 1) which itself took place in Jerusalem in 2008.
GAFCON 1
GAFCON 1 had become necessary for Anglicans faithful to the historic formularies to take a united stand against the moral compromise, doctrinal error and the collapse of biblical witness that were becoming prevalent in parts of the Anglican Communion. It was attended by 1,148 witnesses (Primates, bishops, other clergy and lay leaders).
GAFCON 1 spawned the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration (JS & JD) which is the confessional basis of GFCA.
Another fruit of GAFCON 1 was the establishment of the Primates’ Council of GFCA with the aim of promoting the gospel and defending the faith in accordance with the principles set out in the JD.
The regional manifestation of the GFCA in Europe is the FCA UK & Ireland on the same confessional basis as GFCA. FCA UK & Ireland covers the Provinces of England (Canterbury and York, and includes the Diocese in Europe), Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is led by an Executive Committee under the Chairmanship of the Revd Paul Perkin and is served by a Panel of Bishops under the Chairmanship of Rt Revd John Ellison.
In 2011 the Primates’ Council of the GFCA pursuant to their commitment to find
“creative ways by which we can support those who have been alienated so that they can remain within the Anglican family”
around the globe encouraged the establishment, through FCA UK & Ireland, of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE).
In 2013 the Primates recognised the need to put AMiE on a footing able to address the rapidly growing challenges faced by orthodox Anglicans in England. To that end AMiE was placed under the care of an Executive Committee charged with planning for that future.
GAFCON 2
In October 2013 GAFCON 2 was held in Nairobi, Kenya, with 1,358 delegates, including 331 bishops, 482 other clergy and 545 laity from 38 countries representing tens of millions of faithful Anglicans worldwide.
Whereas GAFCON 1 in Jerusalem was responding to the challenges of orthodox Christian belief within the Anglican Communion, GAFCON 2 was focused on the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. The resultant Nairobi Communique included nine commitments.
Commitment 5 of the Nairobi Communique reads:
“5. We commit ourselves to the support and defence of those who in standing for apostolic truth are marginalized or excluded from formal communion with other Anglicans in their dioceses. We have therefore recognized the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) as an expression of authentic Anglicanism both for those within and outside the Church of England, and welcomed their intention to appoint a General Secretary of AMiE.”
In November 2013 AMiE co-sponsored the ReNew Conference with Reform attended by more than 200 incumbents and church leaders with the purpose of consulting on the next steps in the fast-moving situation in England.
From February 2014 Revd Canon Andy Lines became the General Secretary of AMiE, with the gracious agreement of Crosslinks.
