Anglican Bishops Gather for New Bishops' Conference
Twenty-five new and recently consecrated Anglican bishops are meeting at Canterbury Cathedral in England through Nov. 9.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Catholicism
Twenty-five new and recently consecrated Anglican bishops are gathering in Canterbury, England, for the annual New Bishops' Conference, which began Oct. 29 and runs through Nov. 9. The conference is hosted by Canterbury Cathedral with support from the Anglican Communion Office.
Why it matters
The participating bishops represent 12 member churches across 13 countries in Africa, Asia, North America and Oceania, bringing together leaders from across the global Anglican Communion. The program is designed to let bishops learn from one another through discussion, reflection and shared insight.
The conference includes 25 bishops representing 12 member churches across 13 countries in Africa, Asia, North America and Oceania. The program is structured around the Five Marks of Mission: tell, teach, tend, transform and treasure.
The players
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral is the historic seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the mother church of the Church of England, hosting the conference's daily worship and sessions.
Anglican Communion Office
The Anglican Communion Office is the administrative body that supports the worldwide Anglican Communion and coordinates its member churches.
The details
The program combines daily worship at Canterbury Cathedral with Bible study, teaching sessions, shared meals and conversation. It is built around the Five Marks of Mission and is designed for bishops to learn from each other through discussions and reflection.
Timeline
Oct. 29: New Bishops' Conference began at Canterbury Cathedral.
Nov. 9: Conference scheduled to conclude.
Culture Shift
The conference's use of the Five Marks of Mission, a framework the Anglican Communion has articulated for church mission, as the structure for training new bishops shows how the global communion equips its leaders around a shared set of priorities. The gathering brings together churches from four continents, reflecting the communion's geographic spread beyond its historic English base.
Readers following Anglican life will see how the church trains its bishops through worship, study and peer learning. The conference's emphasis on shared meals and conversation reflects a practical model for leadership development across member churches.
The takeaway
Leadership formation in the Anglican Communion combines daily worship with peer learning across continents. Bishops from different regions gather to share experiences and build common purpose.
Further reading
For more on the Christian traditions behind this gathering, explore our Catholicism coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Episcopal News Service.
