Comunión anglicana
Photo: Neil Turner / Anglican Communion Office
The Anglican Communion is a family of Anglican and Episcopal churches from around the world, each of which traces its roots to the Church of England. The communion comprises more than 80 million members in 42 member churches in more than 165 countries. Though The Episcopal Church is multinational, we are the only U.S.-headquartered member church in the communion.
Our presiding bishop also holds the title of primate of The Episcopal Church within the context of the Anglican Communion. Primates are the senior bishops, archbishops, and moderators from the communion’s member churches. The archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop in the Church of England and has historically served as the ceremonial leader of the Anglican Communion.
Everything we do as a church is grounded in our connection to this larger communion, which strengthens and challenges us as we seek to follow the risen Christ.
Below are what is known as the “four instruments of communion”—these are the ways in which member churches collaborate and fellowship with each other.
Archbishop of Canterbury
The archbishop’s role as “first among equals” alongside the other primates is primarily a pastoral and relationship-building ministry. In addition to working with the other “instruments,” the archbishop visits provinces to offer encouragement and fosters relationships with other Christian leaders. When the Rt. Rev. Sarah Mullally was appointed as the 106th archbishop of Canterbury in fall 2025—the first woman to serve in that role—Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe offered congratulations.
Primates’ meeting
The Episcopal Church’s presiding bishop attends these meetings, typically held every two years and led by the archbishop of Canterbury. The meetings are a time for prayer, fellowship, and discussion of different perspectives on significant issues within the communion.
Lambeth Conference
This international conference, convened once a decade by the archbishop of Canterbury, brings together Anglican bishops to discuss church and world affairs and shape the communion’s global mission for the next 10 years. More than 100 Episcopal bishops attended the most recent Lambeth Conference in 2022 in Canterbury, England.
Anglican Consultative Council
This council is considered the Anglican Communion’s most representative body due to its inclusion of bishops, clergy, and lay people from all member provinces. The council—which meets every three or four years—charts the work of the communion’s committees, staff, and networks. The Episcopal Church—through its General Convention or Executive Council—elects a bishop, clergy, and lay representative to the council; their terms run for three meetings.
19th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council
The three elected Episcopal Church representatives to the Anglican Consultative Council attended this June 26-July 5 session in Belfast, Ireland. In preparation for the meeting, Episcopal leaders released a collection of essays in response to proposed changes in the Anglican Communion’s governance structure.
