"The changes in the Church of England attitude to contraception are interesting to trace. The first Anglican position was a clearcut condemnation of contraception as a threat to both Church and State. The Lambeth Conference of 1920 issued a solemn warning against “the use of unnatural means for the avoidance of conception”, and stressed that the primary purpose of marriage was the procreation of children. This judgment was echoed by the House of Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church, meeting at Portland, Oregon, on September 15, 1922. The Lambeth Conference of 1930 again declared that the primary purpose of marriage was the procreation of children, but conceded that in certain limited circumstances, contraception might be morally legitimate. In a resolution, passed by 193 votes to 67, the Conference declared: “Where there is a clearly felt moral obligation to limit or avoid parenthood, the method must be decided on Christian principles. The primary and obvious method is complete abstinence from intercourse (as far as may be necessary) in a life of discipline and self-control lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, in those cases where there is such a clearly-felt moral obligation to limit or avoid parenthood, and where there is a morally sound reason for avoiding complete abstinence, the Conference agrees that other methods may be used, provided that this is done in the light of the same Christian principles. The Conference records its strong condemnation of the use of any methods of conception-control from motives of selfishness, luxury, or mere convenience.”"
January 1, 1970