Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 INTERNATIONAL COALITION FOR ANGLICAN ORTHODOXY FORMEDBy David W. VirtueA new organization called the International Coalition for AnglicanOrthodoxy drawing together orthodox Anglicans from around the world, butinitially from the UK and USA has been formed."I am delighted that this new global coalition, committed to promotingand defending the scriptural truths upon which the Anglican Church wasfounded, has been formed," said Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor of AnglicanMainstream UK.Anglican Mainstream is a global coalition promoting the world-widegospel ministry of the Anglican Church. Anglican Mainstream has closelinks with other organizations and networks committed to promoting anddefending those scriptural truths."Only on the basis of those truths can our mission and service to ahurting and needy world flourish. It really is crucial for mission andevangelism that all those of orthodox faith and practice work togetherand network on a Communion-wide basis. So this is a development Ienthusiastically welcome," he told VirtueOnline.Bishop Wallace Benn of Lewes and President of the Church of EnglandEvangelical Council said, "At this critical moment in the life of theCommunion it is vital that those of orthodox faith and practice shouldwork together and network on a Communion-wide basis. This is essentialfor the mission and evangelism to which we are called. I warmly andenthusiastically welcome this essential development."The new coalition, to be known as Anglican Mainstream International,(AMI) will have close links with organizations and networks committed topromoting and defending the scriptural truths upon which the AnglicanChurch was founded. Only on the basis of those truths can our missionand service to a hurting and needy world flourish.Supporting organizations so far include Anglican Mainstream UK, theAnglican Communion in New Westminster, the Essentials Federation andNetwork in Canada, the Anglican Communion Institute and AnglicanMainstream South Africa. The network will also have Primatial advisers.Archbishop Drexel Gomez of the West Indies is a Primatial adviser.The work of the new coalition will be overseen by an internationalsteering committee, consisting immediately of Dr Philip Giddings (UK),Diane Knippers (USA), Canon David Anderson (American Anglican CouncilUSA), Rev. David Short (Anglican Communion in New Westminster, Canada),Bishop Wallace Benn (UK), Professor Oliver O'Donovan (Oxford, UK),Professor Christopher Seitz (Anglican Communion Institute) Rev CharlieMasters (Essentials Federation and Network, Canada), and Canon DaveDoveton (Anglican Mainstream South Africa)Canon Dr. Christopher Sugden has been appointed as full-time ExecutiveSecretary of Anglican Mainstream International. The board of the OxfordCentre for Mission Studies has granted him leave of absence to undertakethis new role. Sugden is a Canon of St. Luke's Cathedral in Jos, Nigeriaand Commissary for the Diocese of North East Caribbean and Aruba in theWest Indies. He will be based at Eynsham in Oxfordshire in the UK."AMI will aim to facilitate the work of existing networks, not competewith them. Our common concern for the immediate future is to preservethe unity and orthodoxy of the Anglican Communion as the Primates cometo take decisions about the recommendations in the Windsor Report," saidDr. Christopher Seitz.Asked how this fits in with other orthodox organizations already inexistence, Seitz said, "We will all keep our own initiatives andintegrity. We help with common mission and communicationinternationally."END

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