The Instruments of Communion
The Anglican Consultative Council (ACC)
The Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) is one of the four Instruments of Communion, which serve and strengthen the global Anglican Communion. It holds a unique position as the Communion’s most representative body, distinguished by its inclusion of bishops, clergy, and lay people from across all member provinces.
The 19th Anglican Consultative Council (ACC-19)
The next plenary meeting of the ACC will be hosted by the Church of Ireland in Belfast from June 27 to July 5, 2026.
A Unique Role in the Communion
The ACC was formed in response to a 1968 Lambeth Conference resolution that recognised the need for a body that included clergy and laity in the Communion’s international life.
It is the only Instrument of Communion that gathers bishops, clergy, and laity, ensuring a synodical principle at the international level. The Council is explicitly a consultative body, not an international synod, and holds no legal or legislative power over the autonomous provinces. Its authority is moral and relational, providing a crucial forum for the “whole church” in its discernment and shared life.
The Purpose and Mandate of the ACC
The Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) enables the autonomous churches of the Communion to work together more effectively. Its core constitutional duties are:
- To advise on the organisation and structures of the communion.
- To seek to develop common policies concerning the world mission of the Church, including ecumenical matters.
- To facilitate the cooperative work of member churches and strengthen the bonds of friendship that unite them.
Key Contributions to the Communion
The ACC often serves as an incubator for foundational, Communion-wide theological and missiological frameworks.
- The Five Marks of Mission: This framework, which defines the holistic mission of the Church, was first articulated in a report to the ACC-6 meeting in Badagry, Nigeria, in 1984.
- Inclusion and Representation: The ACC has pioneered greater inclusivity in the Communion’s structures. It was the first Instrument to formally include youth delegates as full, voting members, a process that began at the ACC-17 meeting in Hong Kong.
Membership and Structure
The ACC’s composition is designed to ensure broad and balanced representation from across the Communion.
- Membership: The Council is composed of approximately 100 members. Each of the Communion’s provinces sends two or three representatives (bishops, clergy, and laity). Members typically serve for three successive meetings to foster continuity and institutional memory.
- Leadership: The Council’s work is guided by a formal leadership structure:
- President: The Archbishop of Canterbury (ex-officio).
- Chair: Canon Maggie Swinson.
- Vice-Chair: Archbishop Hosam Naoum.
- Secretariat: The Anglican Communion Office (ACO), led by the Secretary General, facilitates and supports the Council’s meetings and work.
Plenary Meetings:
The Anglican Consultative Council in Action
The primary expression of the ACC’s work is its plenary meeting, which convenes approximately every three years and is hosted by a different member province.
Each meeting includes communal Bible study, updates from member churches and Anglican Networks, and the passing of resolutions that help coordinate the Communion’s work in mission and ministry.
The first meeting (ACC-1) was held in Limuru, Kenya, in 1971. The most recent was ACC-18 in Accra, Ghana (2023). The next, ACC-19, will be hosted by the Church of Ireland in Belfast from June 27 to July 5, 2026.
Reporting back to ACC-19 on The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals
ACC-18 Mandate (2023):
At its 2023 meeting, the ACC passed a resolution commissioning a “renewed exploration of ‘structure and decision-making'” to help address differences within the Communion.
IASCUFO’s Work:
This task was undertaken by the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO).
The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals (2023-2026):
IASCUFO shared, The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, in Advent. A Supplement paper was shared in Lent 2026. The proposals are presented as an “offer” to the whole Communion and the “beginning of a new conversation” on how to navigate differences and sustain unity.
ACC-19 Agenda (2026):
The formal consideration of these proposals will be one of the key agenda items for the upcoming ACC-19 meeting in Belfast.
Learn More About the Instruments of Communion:
Meet the Archbishop of Canterbury: A Focus for Unity
The Archbishop is the spiritual head and a personal ‘focus of unity’ for the global Anglican Communion.
Discover the work and outcomes of The Lambeth Conference
A global gathering of bishops, convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury to shape the Communion’s mission.
Explore the Primates’ Meeting and its spiritual leadership role
The gathering of the Communion’s senior bishops and archbishops for prayer, consultation, and theological reflection.
