More than 650 Anglican bishops are meeting in Canterbury for almost two weeks of prayer and discussion that will highlight divisions within the church, broadly between the global north and south.

The 15th Lambeth conference – postponed twice before finally convened recently, and formally opening on Friday – is likely to descend into acrimony over polarised views on same-sex marriage and relationships. Even before the conference began, a furious row over a draft declaration forced Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury and conference president, into a U-turn.