The Trustees of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) became aware in late 2018 that Bishop Andy Lines had been involved in an investigation by the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). Andy Lines is a GAFCON missionary bishop for Europe, under the oversight of ACNA, and as such exercises caring oversight of AMiE churches. As well as seeking to support Andy, the Trustees immediately sought to satisfy themselves that all matters (including safeguarding) had been reported to the appropriate authorities.
Since then, it has become apparent that Andy had been a victim of abuse in the form of spiritual manipulation and control. The Trustees and Mission Director of AMiE have worked with the leadership of ACNA and GAFCON to care for Andy through what has been a traumatic and difficult period of counselling and recovery. As Andy has made clear, this recovery is ongoing. We fully support him in his gradual return to ministry, including his desire to care for victims of similar abuse.
In this matter AMiE’s primary concern and prayers are for Andy, his family, and other victims. We are also praying for the Emmanuel Wimbledon church family and others affected by recent news of abuse. We deplore all abuse in all its forms and we expect all AMiE churches to serve and support survivors of abuse.
When a situation like this arises there is a temptation to speculate or gossip about matters of which we may not know all the facts. The Christian response is to remember that all human leaders are flawed, and that God provides the only perfect leader, the Lord Jesus. So we turn to him in thanksgiving and prayer confident that Jesus will establish his kingdom.
AMiE Trustees (Paul Houghton, Richard Leadbeater, Brian O’Donoghue)
AMiE Mission Director (Lee McMunn)
I don’t think it is always necessary to reveal details of abuse, particularly pertaining to the victim. The victim’s dignity should be respected. Likewise if an accused has been genuinely investigated and cleared, that should be that.
“When a situation like this arises there is a temptation to speculate or gossip about matters of which we may not know all the facts. ”
There is enough in this AMiE press release to lead us to understand (not to speculate, per se, I would prefer “analysis based on those facts that are in public domain”) that the recent trials of the spirit that Andy Lines has experienced are related to the press releases from Emmanuel Wimbledon, the “April” and “May” letters from Rod Thomas, et al, recent Telegraph newspaper articles, and the recent edition of Anglican Unscripted.
The reason we end up speculating without knowing all the facts is that no one seems willing to give us the facts. And what is out there is in code.
I think I will leave it to others to comment on vague, tantalising articles that excite our interest and tell us very little.
I would comment that you already have 2 other comments on this thread, but this is my second, and I will most likely catch up before all is said and done.
David, my own response, I suppose, is that the trustees of a church and its mission director should not be publishing “tantalising articles” as official church press releases. But I will second the notion that it tells us very little.
I will sometimes address and sometimes not. How you do things is your own business, but I don’t see anything in this blog’s comment rules that require me to put names in. I view it as a conversation, not an exchange of letters. The fact that the comment facility provides “alphaTomega -> tjmcmahon” shows which commenter is being replied to. I will sometimes include sidebar comment to another poster, in the spirit of conversation, particularly in a case like this, where David is the one who began this particular thread in response to the article.
I will try to remember to avoid attempts at humor with you in the future, as you appear to have missed the point altogether.
More detail is actually given. The phrase used is “spiritual manipulation”.
What is so troubling about this is the total lack of detail. We all know that Jonathan Fletcher is the abuser – why couldn’t they say as much?
And exactly what was Fletcher doing?
Gavin Ashenden said, in the Anglican Unscripted video, that Fletcher was engaged in “homo-erotic pastoral engagements with young men of a manipulative and blackmailing kind” and “it ranged from sexual horseplay to something much more serious”.
If that was the case here, it is misleading to call it “spiritual manipulation and control”.
It strikes me that this is a damage limitation exercise. Only say something when you are forced to by a newspaper report, and only say the bare minimum, in order to protect your reputation. It gives the impression of a cover-up, which is not acceptable in the church.