Two resolutions, both of which passed at the previous convention, passed again, by more than the required two-thirds margin in both the clergy and lay orders, amending the Diocesan Constitution. The first resolution removed the accession clause to the Canons of the Episcopal Church, and the second, enabled the Convention to meet more frequently than annually, if needed. These resolutions seek to protect the Diocese from any attempt at un-Constitutional intrusions in our corporate life in South Carolina and were in response to the revisions to the Title IV Canons of the Episcopal Church.
What's going on? Is the Diocese of South Carolina still part of the Episcopal Church?
In the comments to the post on the actions of the convention of the Diocese of South Carolina at The Lead, Tobias Haller says:
The accession required is in Constitution V.1. The question raised in SC is whether the accession to the law of the church required for the admission of a diocese into union with this Church must necessarily remain in place. Their view, in the retail world, is called "bait and switch."
What is cited above is the "Dennis Canon" -- which is also an area of concern, but isn't about accession to the C&C.
Well! Bait and switch is it? Who would ever have thought...?
Bishop Mark Lawrence's address to the convention is in his usual bombastic style and includes the usual disparaging commentary about the leadership of the "national" church, along with the usual "scare quotes".
As I have spoken in recent days to Diocesan Council, the deans, and the Standing Committee, it is my expressed hope that this year of 2011 will be free from constitutional and canonical challenges from the “national” leadership of the Episcopal Church, and that we in the Diocese of South Carolina can get on with the work of growing our parishes, strengthening the lives of our parishioners and churches, and planting new congregations.
Bishop Lawrence continues with a reference to Nehemiah, noting that he will not employ the martial metaphor from Ch. 4.
A Biblical metaphor I have employed from time to time is from Chapter 4 of the Book of Nehemiah where the workmen rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem labored with a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other. But as I have said, my hope is that this will be a season for the trowel not the sword. Time alone will tell if we will be permitted to do our work unencumbered by intrusions. I am eager to see this Diocese of South Carolina add daily to its number those who are being saved; and what better way to do this than by growing our existing congregations and planting new ones. This work, not the controversies of the day, will be the thrust of this address.
Rather, he will move forward with trowel in hand, yet ever on guard against "intrusions", presumably by the "national" leadership, when he may again require a "sword".
Bishop Lawrence's rhetoric is unlike any other Episcopal priest or bishop that I've read or heard. He sounds more like Billy Graham - not that there's anything wrong with that!
The weekend began Friday afternoon with a presentation by the Rt. Rev. Michael Nazir-Ali, former Bishop of Rochester, who now serves South Carolina as Visiting Bishop for Anglican Communion Relationships, on “Triple Jeopardy: The Challenge of Islam, Secularism and Multiculturalism.”
Bishop Nazir-Ali also preached a sermon. I searched for a link to the actual text of Bishop Nazir-Ali's sermon and presentation without success. The link to MP3 version of the sermon, to which I have not listened, is below:
Sermon by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Nazir-Ali.
The link at the diocesan website to the Presentation, "Triple Jeopardy: The Challenge of Islam, Secularism and Multiculturalism," by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Nazir-Ali is broken.
You must remember that "Bishop" Lawrence spent some years in the former "Bishop" Schofield's "Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin which is where he got his rhetorical style, I'm pretty sure, and a lot of his belief about where the 'Diocese of South Carolina' can go and what they can do.
ReplyDeletesusan, things didn't turn out too well for former "Bishop" Schofield, did they? And haven't the courts ruled that changing the rules in the middle of the game doesn't change much of anything?
ReplyDeleteWell, we all know just how honorable Mark Lawrence is, don't we? He basically lied through his teeth to become a bishop in the first place when he said he had no intention of leading South Carolina out of the Episcopal Church. Further he has broken his solemn vow not once or twice, but three times that he would be subject to the discipline of church authority. He took this vow (freely and without reservation) as he was ordained to the Diaconate, again to the Priesthood, and finally to become Bishop.
ReplyDeleteWhy would anyone trust, let alone follow, such a man?
Mark Lawrence's rhetoric reminds me of Keith Ackerman's. Ackerman wrote endless words in the diocesan newspaper detailing how he was about preaching the gospel and growing the diocese, loving everybody and not interested in anything more than that. His actions, however, spoke louder.
ReplyDeleteBooCat, I don't have the answer. I pray for Bp. Lawrence and the people of the diocese every day.
ReplyDeleteBex, I've been in the Episcopal church for less than 15 years, and I have some experience of Episcopal services in other areas, but not a lot. I've never heard that style of preaching, but I know that it exists in other places and that Mark Lawrence is not alone.
For obvious reasons, I don't keep a detailed list of who supports what and who is angry at whom among the "conservatives".
ReplyDeleteSo I'm curious to know: does Bishop Lawrence, who is so afraid of intrustions from the national church, support the Covenant that is designed for intrustions from the international church?
WV: defuncom
Yes, the fun do come if you wait long enough
Kishnevi, Mark Lawrence is a member of the Communion Partner Bishops who came out in support of the Anglican Covenant.
ReplyDeleteDe fun do com.
Some of us in South Carolina wonder where we are headed, and why there is so much dissension in our church. Perhaps we all need to repeat this prayer from the Prayers of the People, Form V:
ReplyDeleteFor all who fear God and believe in you, Lord Christ, that our divisions may cease, and that all may be one as you and the Father are one, we pray to you, O Lord.
Amen, Anonymous.
ReplyDelete