The Instruments of Communion
The Lambeth Conference:
A Global Gathering of Bishops
The Lambeth Conference is one of the four Instruments of Communion that provide cohesion and guidance to the global Anglican family.
It is an international assembly of Anglican bishops, convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury approximately every ten years. Its purpose is to discuss church and world affairs and to collectively shape the global mission of the Anglican Communion for the decade ahead.
A Three-Phase Journey:
The 2022 Conference
The 15th Lambeth Conference, held in 2022, was guided by the theme ‘God’s Church for God’s World.’
The conference involved three phases:
- Phase 1 – Listening Together: An online preparatory phase where bishops and spouses gathered for Bible study, prayer, and conversation on key themes.
- Phase 2 – Walking Together: The in-person gathering in Canterbury, bringing together over 600 bishops and spouses from around 165 countries for worship, study, and deliberation.
- Phase 3 – Witnessing Together: An ongoing phase (2023-2026) that invited the whole Communion to explore the Lambeth Calls and ‘Add your voice to the call’. A series of global webinars and local group discussions, occurred to take the Calls forward.
Learn about the Lambeth Calls.
Outcomes from the 2022 Conference
The primary outcomes of the 2022 conference were the Lambeth Calls. These invited churches to discern and commit to action on 10 key themes, including Discipleship, Safe Church, Anglican Identity, and the Environment. The Anglican Communion Office’s Episcopal Ministry (EMAC) team supports bishops and the wider church in taking these calls forward.
Other key outcomes included:
- The Lambeth Calls that related to key themes in church and world affairs.
- New Initiatives: The formal launch of the Anglican Communion Science Commission and the Communion Forest, a new global environmental initiative.
- Statements of Support: The bishops also collectively issued 14 “Statements of Support” addressing specific situations of concern around the world.
Read more about the Lambeth Conference on the official website.
Learn More About the Instruments of Communion
The Lambeth Conference has convened since 1867, playing a historic role in shaping Anglican identity. In 1888, the conference affirmed the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral. Explore the other Instruments of Communion that, along with the Lambeth Conference, provide cohesion and guidance to the global Anglican family.
Learn more about the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC)
The ACC is the Communion’s representative body, gathering laity, clergy, and bishops to guide cooperative work.
Meet the Archbishop of Canterbury: A Focus for Unity
The Archbishop plays a pastoral and historic role, as a ‘focus of unity’ for the global Anglican Communion.
Explore the Primates’ Meeting and its spiritual leadership role
The gathering of the Communion’s senior bishops and archbishops for prayer, consultation, and theological reflection.
Read about the 15th Lambeth Conference of 2022
The last Lambeth Conference met in 2022, with the theme of ‘God’s Church for God’s World’. Visit the site to learn more.
