A remarkable event as global Anglicanism re-aligns

The global shape of the Christian church has seen a paradigm shift in recent years. Churches in the global south, originally planted with much sacrifice by missionaries in partnership with early indigenous converts, have multiplied exponentially. In contrast, Christian affiliation and influence and church attendance in the formerly Christian global north and west continues to decline rapidly.

In the more economically developed countries, mainline historic denominations have seen catastrophic collapse in attendance, despite retaining economic assets, while newer churches are holding their own or growing slightly. There is an undeniable close link between this decline and failure to hold on to and communicate the apostolic gospel.

But the growth of the church in the global south is only one part of the paradigm shift. Another is the growth of new churches in Europe and North America planted by immigrant populations. Increasing numbers of Christians from Africa, Asia and Latin America, whose great-great grandparents came to faith in Christ and received education and development through missionaries from the UK, now themselves call the UK their home. They are either contributing to the life of existing churches, or starting new diaspora congregations, some of which are now the largest in the country.

An amazing Biblical vision

The church is called to live as one body with many parts, not all the same, but each playing an important role and working together according to the Creator’s design, loving one another, and united in the head, who is Christ.

The apostle Paul gives an amazing vision of this in his letter to the Ephesians. At the beginning of chapter 4 he talks about this unity in diversity: there is one body (v.4) and yet different gifts (v.7-11), for the goal of working together towards maturity under Christ (v.15-16). This is based on what he has said earlier about how the gospel brings together people of different racial and cultural backgrounds who were previously at enmity with each other but now are one, sharing salvation in Christ (Eph.2:14-18). It is through this church, not uniform, sometimes messy, always diverse, that God makes His ‘multi-faceted wisdom’ known, not just to people in the world, but to the spiritual powers which still need to be overcome (Eph.3:10).

A practical expression

A remarkable event took place on the evening of 23 May 2024. After a long process of prayerful and detailed discussion, the Synod of the Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) voted overwhelmingly to welcome the Anglican Missionary Congregations (AMC) as a third Diocese in its emerging Province. This is significant as a sign and a practical expression of Jesus building and renewing His church to respond to a rapidly changing culture in Britain and Europe. ‘AMC has grown from a single Nigerian diaspora congregation in Manchester to 35 congregations all over the UK and some parts of Europe,’ says the ANiE press release. This vibrant church movement, with its Nigerian culture and focus on flexible self-supporting ministry, will develop strong gospel partnerships with the existing ANiE Dioceses of AMiE and ACE, predominantly white, with their distinctive ‘church styles’ and geographical focus. AMC will bring its specific God-given contribution to the new growing body, not having to give up its unique charism and become part of something uniform, but also no longer doing its mission separately.

This new Anglican jurisdiction is not under the authority of the theologically liberal Canterbury structures, but overseen by the GAFCON movement and its Archbishops. In this way models of new, Biblically faithful Anglicanism continue to develop.