From the Rev. J. Haden McCormick, President of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of South Carolina via titusonenine:
I received a phone call late this afternoon from the Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori giving notification that she was declaring null and void the election of The Very Rev. Mark Lawrence to be bishop of The Diocese of South Carolina. Although more than a majority of dioceses had voted to consent to Fr. Mark’s election, there were canonical deficiencies in the written responses sent to us. Several dioceses, both on and off American soil, thought that electronic permission was sufficient as had been their past accepted practice. The canons which apply are III.11.4(b), pp. 101-102 in the newly published 2006 Constitutions and Canons that require the prescribed testimonial to the consent be signed by a majority of each standing committee.
Read the rest here ... and do keep Fr. Lawrence and his family in your prayers along with the Diocese of South Carolina as it continues its search for a new bishop.
Maybe if the diocese of South Carolina next time elects a person with some sanity and moderation in the clear middle of the Episcopal church they might get the consents necessary. Importing someone like Lawrence from San Joaquin, one of the most reactionary dioceses in the US, if not the most reactionary, is simply stupid. But, of course, this is South Carolina, so gee whiz, what do you expect? The Episcopal church has more sense in this matter than I thought. Hooray for sanity.
ReplyDeleteAs a communicant in the Diocese of South Carolina ( I'm a transplant from Georgia via Maine and New Hampshire) I rejoice at the providence of God in Bp. lawrence NOT receiving the needed number of consents. I hope and pray that a more moderate candidate will be found and elected. This Diocese must get back in step with what God is doing in His church. Of course, this is South Carolina, the seat of the secession. Seems like The lesson was not learned from the last time this state took this stance.
ReplyDeleteAs the hymn says....God is working His purpose out...AMEN!
And the church said:
ReplyDeleteAmen!
Check again. He did receive the necessary number of consents.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who thinks that South Carolina will ever elect a liberal is delusional. And it is interesting that, according to the South Carolina standing committee, e-mail consents used to be acceptable in the past but in the case of a conservative diocese, they suddenly become unacceptable. So either the fix was in from the start or Mrs. Schori has just revealed herself to be a petty, vindictive tyrant.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things roaming around the internet is that this hasn't happened since the 30's.
ReplyDeleteNot quite true. Apprently David Emrys Richards was elected Suffragan Bishop of Albany in the 50's, and his election was refused. The technical ground was that he was not 30 years old when elected, but would be by the time of the consecration. I think this sets the precedent for refusals based on a technicality.
It should be noted that David E. Richards was re-elected the next year, consecrated and served the Church as Suffragan of Albany.
It looks like the commenters on T19 have no monopoly on christian charity!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I think you got what you wanted: seeing B033 as a weapon, you used it.
ReplyDelete