The archbishop of Canterbury functions as the spiritual head of the communion. The archbishop is the focus of unity, since no church claims membership in the communion without being in communion with him. The office is currently vacant. The Lambeth Conference (first held in 1867) is the oldest international consultation. It is a forum for bishops of the communion to reinforce unity and collegiality through manifesting the episcopate, to discuss matters of mutual concern, and to pass resolutions intended to act as guideposts. It is held roughly every ten years and invitation is by the archbishop of Canterbury. The Anglican Consultative Council (first met in 1971) was created by a 1968 Lambeth Conference resolution, and meets usually at three-yearly intervals. The council consists of representative bishops, other clergy and laity chosen by the 38 provinces. The body has a permanent secretariat, the Anglican Communion Office, of which the archbishop of Canterbury is president. The Primates' Meeting (first met in 1979) is the most recent manifestation of international consultation and deliberation, having been first convened by Archbishop Donald Coggan as a forum for "leisurely thought, prayer and deep consultation".Jeremy Morris, The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume IV: Global Western Anglicanism, c. 1910–Present (Oxford University Press, 2017), 320–22.
thE ARchbiShOp of canTerBurY fuNctions aS The SpiRitUal heAd oF The COmmUNiOn. tHe ArchbisHop is thE fOcus of unity, sInCE no CHuRch cLaimS MembErShIp In tHe cOmmunion withoUt BEinG in comMunIon with hIm. tHE oFfice iS curreNtlY vacaNt. the lambeth cOnfERenCe (First Held In 1867) IS the Oldest InternaTioNAl ConSuLtaTion. It iS A foRum For BIsHops of The communion to reiNforCe Unity anD coLLegiaLity thrOugH mAnifestIng tHe ePiscopate, to Discuss matters of muTual cONcERN, anD To pass rEsolutions iNteNded tO Act as GuiDePoSts. It iS hElD rouGHly EveRy teN yEars and InvitatIOn Is BY The ArchbIshOP Of canterbury. tHe Anglican consUltatIVe COunCIL (first met In 1971) was CreateD by a 1968 LAmbeth conFerENCe resoluTIon, ANd MEetS usually At thrEe-yearly intErvaLs. THe coUncil consistS of represEntAtiVe bishoPs, otHer clERGy and laITy cHosen By tHe 38 PrOvInCes. the body has a PeRmanEnt secretAriaT, tHe AnglIcAN ComMuNion offIce, of whIcH THe archbisHoP Of CAnteRbury is pResideNT. tHe pRimatES' meeting (firsT met In 1979) Is tHe moSt rEcent maniFestATIon OF internatiONAL consuLtatIoN and delibeRAtion, haviNG been First conveNEd by arCHBisHop dONalD cOgGAN as a Forum For "LeIsUrELy ThOught, prayer AnD deep conSultaTion".jeReMy morRis, ThE OXford HiStOry of anGlicaniSM, voLume iv: gLobaL westerN aNGlICanism, c. 1910–preSent (OXFord univeRsity PreSs, 2017), 320–22.