The Lambeth Conference, a once-a-decade summit of the world's Anglican bishops starting this week, will be a tense, closely watched family reunion.
The Anglican Communion has been splintering since 2003, when the Episcopal Church consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
The meeting is considered a measure of the health of the global fellowship, and on the basis of attendance alone, the communion looks fragile. About one-quarter of Anglican bishops — conservatives mostly from Africa — are boycotting the conference.
The 650 or so church leaders who are participating are a mix of traditionalists and liberals with divergent ideas on what Anglicans should believe....
