Every ten years since 1868 Anglican/Episcopal bishops have gathered for the Lambeth Conference. Though deemed one of the Anglican Communion's Instruments of Communion, the conference has no formal power or authority. The bishops meet as equals for worship, study and conversation.

Bishops who attend Lambeth do so at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Generally, all archbishops, diocesan, assistant and suffragan bishops of churches in the Anglican Communion are invited. Our bishop, the Rt. Rev. J. Michael Garrison, will be among the 800+ bishops attending the 2008 Lambeth Conference at Kent University in Cambridge, England, this July.

The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, however, did not receive an invitation. It was feared his presence as an openly gay man living in a committed relationship would alienate a number of bishops from Africa and the Global South. Even so, Archbishops Peter Akinola of Nigeria, Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda, Benjamin Nzimbi of Kenya, Henry Orombi of Uganda, and Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone, as well as the bishops of the Diocese of Sydney in the Anglican Church of Australia announced they are boycotting the conference. In February of this year, Bishop Garrison lamented this situation.

"I am dismayed that Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire has not been invited. From my perspective this flies in the face of our willingness to listen to the experience of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. For the same reason, I join the Archbishop of Canterbury in his disappointment that some of the African and Global South bishops have chosen not to attend this conference. The perspective of these bishops also needs to be heard."

Spouses of the bishops who attend are invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury's wife Jane to the Spouses' conference, a parallel, independent gathering.

The Anglican Communion is comprised of roughly 80 million Christians who are members of 44 different churches around the globe, including The Episcopal Church USA.