Anglican Mission in England
The Anglican Mission in England is a mission society that seeks to establish Anglican churches in England outside the Church of England. It seeks to support Anglican churches and individuals both within and outside present Church of England structures. Therefore, of those churches affiliated to AMiE, some are part of the Church of England while others self-identify as Anglican but lie outside Church of England structures. It was created with the support of the Global Anglican Future Conference, and is part of the Anglican realignment. It has been described as a "breakaway conservative Evangelical movement".
Leadership
AMiE has one bishop, Andy Lines: he was consecrated on 30 June 2017 as the Missionary Bishop to Europe of the Anglican Church in North America, a province outside the Anglican Communion, but recognized by GAFCON and the Global South provinces. Lines' role is to provide oversight to Anglican churches in Europe that exist outside of current Anglican structures, which includes AMiE. Lines is also director of Crosslinks, an Anglican missionary agency which financially supports several independent Anglican churches in England.In 2015 the Right Revd John Ellison, a retired missionary, was under investigation by the Diocese of Salisbury after it emerged he was acting as an overseer for Christ Church Salisbury, an AMiE congregation. Ellison is currently chair of the AMiE panel of bishops.
History
AMiE was formed under the auspices of the Global Anglican Future Conference in 2011. GAFCON gave their full support at their second meeting in Nairobi, in October 2013. Initially its congregations were church plants that had been ejected from the Church of England for various reasons. More recently, evangelical Anglican churches have begun to plant churches under the AMiE banner.The movement has received the support of the Archbishop of Nigeria, Nicholas Okoh.
In 2016 AMiE set out its vision to plant 25 churches by 2025 and 250 churches by 2050.
Bishop Lines ordained the first nine men as deacons and priests on 7 December 2017, at East London Tabernacle, a Baptist church in east London. Previously, clergymen associated with AMiE had come from the Church of England, or been ordained by Anglican bishops overseas. Eight men were ordained as deacons and one as a priest, all working for AMiE churches. For example, Robert Tearle, 24, was to serve as deacon at Trinity Church Scarborough, a 2017 church plant.
Theological position
AMiE takes a conservative stance on human sexuality, opposing same-sex marriage and women's ordination. Members of the executive of AMiE are required to hold complementarian views. AMiE leaders have made accusations that there is false teaching in Church of England leadership. Lee McMunn, the mission director for AMiE, has stated that, while many "faithful Anglicans" remain within the Church of England, others find their route to ordination "blocked by liberal clergy who do not believe orthodox Anglican teachings".AMiE's stated intent is not to threaten Anglicans within current structures, but to provide support for those already outside the structures.
Churches
The society currently has 15 churches under its auspices and the oversight of Lines. This is an increase from 6 churches in September 2016. Their official website also lists more 33 "supporting churches".| Name | Location | Web | Clergy | Founded | Notes |
| The Anchor Anglican Church, Fowey | Fowey, Cornwall |
| 2019 | Formed by the vicar and some members of Fowey Parish Church in September 2019. | |
| Becontree Church | Becontree, Greater London | 2014 | Church plant from St Peter and St Paul, Dagenham | ||
| Christ Church Central | Sheffield, South Yorkshire | 2005 | Church plant from Christ Church, Fulwood | ||
| Christ Church Salisbury | Salisbury, Wiltshire | 2014 | |||
| Christ Church South Cambs | Sawston, Cambridgeshire | 2006 | Church plant from All Saints, Little Shelford | ||
| Christ Church Stockport | Stockport, Greater Manchester | 2018 | |||
| Christ Church Walkley | Walkley, Sheffield | 2012 | Church plant from Christ Church, Fulwood and Christ Church Central | ||
| Christ Church Wyre Forest | Kidderminster, Worcestershire | 2002 | Began when minister Charles Raven was ejected from St John's Church, Kidderminster by the Bishop of Worcester | ||
| Cornerstone Church Crewe | Crewe, Cheshire | 2019 | Church plant from Christ Church, Wharton | ||
| Grace Church Bude | Bude, Cornwall | 2019 | |||
| Grace Church Sydenham | Sydenham, Greater London | 2015 | Church plant from Grace Church Dulwich, itself a plant from St Helen's Church, Bishopsgate. Joined AMiE 2018 | ||
| King’s Church Guildford | Guildford, Surrey | 2014 | |||
| Trinity Church Bristol | Bristol | 2018 | |||
| Trinity Church Lancaster | Lancaster, Lancashire | 2015 | |||
| Trinity Church Scarborough | Scarborough, North Yorkshire | 2017 | Church plant from St John's, Newland, Hull |