|
Latest News
|
Episcopal Forum Members Initiate Attack on Bishop |
 |
 |
 |
By the Rev. Canon James B. Lewis, Diocese of South Carolina
“Now that the names of those responsible for bringing accusations against Bishop Lawrence before the Disciplinary Board for Bishops is known, it is instructive to consider what that list reveals.
1. All of the 14 are presently members of the Episcopal Forum of South Carolina.
2. They represent six of a total of 21 current Board Members of the Forum.
3. They come from five parishes and one unaffiliated congregation, with half the lay members indicating they are parishioners of Grace Church, Charleston.
4. Of the 12 laity, eight represent four married couples.
5. The legal representative of the group, who presented their case to the disciplinary board for Bishops, is also a member of the Forum Board and is married to Forum Board member and fellow accuser, Bob Black. That means at least 1/3 of their Board was actively engaged in this project.
The picture painted is exactly the opposite of that portrayed in the press release by which their names were revealed.
Despite their assertions to the contrary, this is clearly a group comprised of the primary leadership of the Forum. To attempt to claim the Forum is not responsible for these actions is disingenuous at best.
It is also clearly not a group representative of a large portion of the diocese. It is representative of a very narrow slice of what is a small group in a handful of parishes. They have nothing like the broad, concerned constituency they proclaim.
Most troubling is the assertion that they have released their names voluntarily, as a courtesy, to avoid the scandal of secrecy. That is precisely what these actions represent. The diocese was dragged all the way through this process once already last Fall, before the Bishop was acquitted, without the Bishop ever being able to face his accusers. The likelihood of that being a separate group than the present accusers seems vanishingly small. Yet, only now are they graciously coming forward. The real reason is that the Canons require it. Upon the request of the Diocese, that information HAD to be revealed. There is nothing gracious at all about their actions. It is posturing that never should have even been allowed if the Disciplinary Board for Bishops and its President and Attorney had followed their own canons. Providing these names should have been proforma and immediate when the charges were certified in September. Instead it has required an entire month before that happened.
This goes to the heart of the essential sickness of The Episcopal Church in these days. It is a place of canonical chaos. Even when it has applicable canons, it does not follow them. At its own discretion it applies them capriciously or not at all. It is for good reason that the Diocese of South Carolina put in place the canonical and constitutional firewalls that now seal it off from such continued abuses.
|
|
|
Diocese Releases Statement Regarding Disassociation from the Episcopal Church |
|
|
|
By the Rev. Canon Dr. Kendall S. Harmon, Canon Theologian
Download printed version
The Episcopal Church (TEC) has made an attack against our Bishop and Diocese, in the midst of efforts for a negotiated settlement, which has fundamentally changed our common life. You may have heard or read about this over the last week but it is vital today that we all understand what has occurred and what it means as clearly as possible.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Special Convention Called for November 17, 2012 |
|
|
|
On Wednesday, October 17th, the Diocese of South Carolina announced a Call to Special Convention. The business to be transacted at this meeting shall be the nature of an appropriate response to the recent actions taken against Bishop Mark Lawrence by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, to include any relevant constitutional and/or canonical changes.
Date of Special Convention: Saturday, November 17, 2012
Location: St. Philip’s Church, 142 Church Street, Charleston
Registration: 8:30 am – 9:45 am in the Parish Hall
Call to Convention: 10:00 am
The cost for Lay Delegates/Clergy: $40/per person
A packet was mailed to all parishes and missions earlier this week, detailing protocol for this event.
Register for the Special Convention here.
|
|
Episcopal Church Takes Action Against the Bishop and Diocese of SC |
|
|
|
 On Monday, October 15, 2012, Bishop Mark J. Lawrence, the 14th Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina was notified by the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, that on September 18, 2012 the Disciplinary Board for Bishops had certified his abandonment of The Episcopal Church. This action by The Episcopal Church triggered two pre-existing corporate resolutions of the Diocese, which simultaneously disaffiliated the Diocese from The Episcopal Church and called a Special Convention. That Convention will be held at St. Philip’s Church, Charleston, on Saturday, November 17, 2012.
Bishop Lawrence was notified of these actions taken by the Episcopal Church between two meetings, one held on October 3 and one to be held on October 22, which Bishop Andrew Waldo of the Upper Diocese of South Carolina and Bishop Lawrence had set up with the Presiding Bishop to find a peaceful alternative to the growing issues between The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of South Carolina. The meetings were to explore “creative solutions” for resolving these issues to avoid further turmoil in the Diocese and in The Episcopal Church. A timeline of these events and their associated documents may be found below.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Former Chancellor of the Diocese, Mr. Eugene "Nick" Zeigler Died October 8 |
|
|
|
Eugene "Nick" Zeigler, Jr.,
July 20, 1921 - October 8, 2012
 Please keep the family of Eugene "Nick" Zeigler, Jr., in your prayers. Mr. Ziegler, who served as a Chancellor of the Diocese of South Carolina for 20 years, died on Monday, October 8, following a long illness.
In addition to being a lifelong, active member of St. John's, Florence, Zeigler was a champion of Civil Rights, a historian, legislator and attorney. Wade Logan, current Chancellor of the Diocese said of Mr. Zeigler, "He left this world a better place. He was a great mentor to me."
Zeigler was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1960 and was elected to the South Carolina Senate in 1966 where he crafted legislation to create home rule for Florence County and give birth to Francis Marion College - now University.
A fuller tribute to Mr. Zeigler, his life and ministry, will appear in the upcoming Jubilate Deo.
The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, October 11 at St. John's, Florence. There will be a reception in the fellowship hall following the graveside service. See parking information below.
Read the obituary. Read the obituary which appeared in SCNow.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > End >>
|
|
Page 8 of 27 |
|
Newsflash
|
Do You Receive Our Newsletter? |
 View our latest issue here.
Subscribe to our newsletter here. |
|
|
Latest News
latest newsClergy of the Diocese of South Carolina Renew their Vows
20/03/2013
On Tuesday, March 19, 2013 (the Feast of Saint Joseph) over 85 clergy and guests from the Diocese of South Carolina gathered for the annual Clergy Ren [ ... ]
|
latest newsTEC Lawsuit Asks Federal Judge to Overturn State Court Order and Strip Diocese of SC of its Identity
15/03/2013
National Church demands that Bishop Lawrence be blocked from doing
what Circuit Judge ordered that only he is legally permitted to do
Charleston, [ ... ]
| | Other Articles |
|