Anglican Mainstream update

News
1 January 2023

ANDREW Symes stood down as Executive Secretary of Anglican Mainstream on 1 January 2023, after nearly ten years in post.

Gafcon IoW member Kelvin Burke has known Andrew for many years, supporting Andrew and Camilla when they served with Crosslinks in South Africa says, “Andrew has always been outspoken for the cause of orthodox Anglicanism and has been prophetic in warning the Church of England about pursuing a liberal agenda.”

Andrew intends to have a short sabbatical before returning to spend more time writing in the area of theology and culture, supporting the development of the Anglican Network in Europe, and as the Associate Minister of Christ Church, Botley, an AMiE-linked (Anglican Mission in Europe) church in Oxford.

Commenting on Mr Symes’ ministry with , Canon Dr Chris Sugden, Anglican Mainstream’s Chairman said:

“The trustees are deeply grateful to Andrew for his insightful and strategic leadership over nearly a decade. His greatest achievements in office have been his prophetic analysis of the ideological and cultural issues underlying secularism and specifically, the sex and gender revolution in the West.  He has shown consistently how this is influencing the forces in the CofE to seek to change its doctrine of marriage without due reference to the Bible, the CofE’s constitution, or the beliefs of the majority of its members.

“For years, Andrew has predicted where the Living In Love & Faith project is now leading the CofE to a binary choice of faithfulness to scripture – and the Universal Church’s understanding of marriage – or, culturally appeasing moves towards gay marriage, which will cause division within the CofE, and further splits within the Anglican Communion.  We thank Andrew for his faithful leadership, and wish him, and his wife Camilla, every blessing on their future ministries.”