The worldwide Anglican Communion is in possession of four institutions around which its unity is thought to be organised. This article examines the relationship between two of these Instruments of Communion at a particular point in time: the Lambeth Conference of 1968, and the tenure of Michael Ramsey as archbishop of Canterbury (1961–1974). I show that 1968 represented an important stage in the evolution of the decennial Lambeth Conference into something more independent of the office of the archbishop.
I also show that, in Ramsey, the Anglican Communion had at its head the most opportune person to plan and oversee the 1968 conference. I explore Ramsey’s role in giving the 1968 conference the shape that it took, tracing his influence on its agenda, its working methods, and (in particular) its openness to the gaze and to the voices of people other than the bishops themselves. His impact was also visible during the event, as preacher, leader of intercession and worship, chairman, and (in private) as host and mediator. I shall show that, at a time of acute unsettlement, Ramsey’s rare combination of theological acumen, ecumenical commitment, and political sensitivity allowed him to shape the conference such that it could face the questions that most needed to be faced.