Timesonline: The history of the Lambeth Conference

For 140 years, the bishops of the Anglican Communion have met once a decade. Our historical guide to Lambeth traces the origins and issues that dominated the agenda at past Lambeth conferences.
Christopher L. Webber
July 11, 2008

For 140 years, the bishops of the Anglican Communion have come together every ten years or so and for most of that time the gathering has been the only visible evidence of the unity of the Communion. This summer it will provide evidence as well of disunity; as many as a quarter of the bishops have declined their invitations from the archbishop of Canterbury, refusing to sit down with other bishops whose theology they have condemned.

When the first invitations were sent out, in 1867, it was the pious hope of the archbishop of Canterbury that nothing like that would happen. He had yielded reluctantly to pleas from the Canadian Church which was concerned by recent decisions of the Privy Council and felt a need to clarify their status. But archbishop Longley wanted it understood, "That at this meeting no declaration of faith shall be made, and no decision come to which shall affect generally the interests of the Church, but that we shall meet together for brotherly counsel and encouragement.” the rest