With all of the unfolding drama surrounding the movement against the Diocese of South Carolina by the national church, I was reminded of Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori’s visit to the Diocese a few years ago.  It was the second time St. Andrew’s hosted a Presiding Bishop for a conversation with diocesan clergy, the first being +Griswold in the late 90′s.

The event with the current Presiding Bishop was entitled, “Charity and Clarity.”  I thought it was a good, honest, exchange.  If you missed them the first time around, or forgot them, here they are again.

The Episcopal Forum of South Carolina (EFSC) reported today that the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church (TEC) has announced that resolutions passed by the Diocese of South Carolina Convention meeting in February, 2011 have been deemed null and void. You can read the correspondence between TEC and legal counsel for EFSC on EFSC’s website.

The Diocese of South Carolina explains their resolution: “The Diocese of South Carolina, as a founding Diocese of the Episcopal Church, has freely exercised its sovereignty in acceding to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church. The changes in the Title IV section of the Canons of The Episcopal Church contradict the Constitution of The Episcopal Church and represent both an unacceptable change in our polity and an indefensible infringement upon the due process rights of all the clergy of this Diocese. Protection of the sovereignty of the Diocese, consistent with the Constitution of The Episcopal Church and the right to due process for its clergy, requires that accession to the Canons of The Episcopal Church be removed. This change preserves our ability to continue under the Constitution of the Episcopal Church.”

You can read all of the Episcopal Forum’s article.

UPDATE: The Anglican Curmudgeon offers his analysis here.

That was the question of the week occasioned by +David Anderson’s observations in his weekly AAC analysis.

In case you missed it, this is what he had to say about the Title IV Canon revisions that go into effect in 6 weeks and the likely impact on the Diocese of South Carolina:

In addition we have gleaned from sidebar comments by top TEC leaders that all of the preparations are coming into place to deal with Bishop Mark Lawrence of South Carolina and his diocese. Bishop Lawrence, if he were to take his diocese out of TEC today, has the force of the South Carolina Supreme Court backing his and his congregations’ right to their church property. Today, Jefferts Schori can’t summarily remove him or the Standing Committee of the diocese by fiat. For the moment, he is safe in staying and safe in leaving. On July 1 that changes.

Although the State Supreme Court ruling will still be in place, on July 1 Jefferts Schori can remove him (with trumped-up charges) and she can in the same way remove and replace the Standing Committee. All of this could take place whether he actually decides to leave or not. Once she removes him and replaces the Standing Committee, she will secure the services of a compliant TEC bishop to become the temporary bishop.

If there are then any issues concerning the diocese and its ownership of property, the courts may decide not to entangle themselves in internal church disputes and Mark Lawrence and his diocese could be disappointed in the results.

Wise words.

I would suggest that the hoped for scenario by many of my friends who remain in the Diocese of South Carolina is for the “national church” to move against them. Many, in fact, had thought this would happen after the Special Convention in October of 2009, or after the Diocesan Convention in March of 2010, or after St. Andrew’s departed in March of 2010, or after the re-conveened Diocesan Convention in October of 2010, or after the Diocesan Convention of March 2011. But as we know, nothing happened. And as to why nothing has happened can only be guessed at, though, the South Carolina Supreme Court decision has undoubtedly played a significant role in the decisions and non-actions thus far.

The worst case scenario envisioned by these same friends? For the “national church” to do nothing and thus force the hand of the Diocese to initiate a move or face further internal fracturing.

I was at a gathering of church leaders in Atlanta this week and most had read +David’s analysis and wondered what the situation looked like from my point of view. I’ve been gone just over a year now and I am very far removed from any formal discussions about these matters. However, I know +Mark to be a man of his word. I do not think he has any plan to initiate action to separate the Diocese of South Carolina from TEC. I was on the Standing Committee when he stated very directly to us, and to his Episcopal detractors, that he had no intention of leading the Diocese of South Carolina out of The Episcopal Church. And, to my eye, all of his actions since have supported this position. Even those resolutions and canonical amendments which left the left wringing their hands were designed to give the Diocese some measure of security while they remain in TEC.

Now, I do not believe that the leadership in the “national church” believes +Mark to be sincere in his comments about remaining in TEC. And, I believe that they see his actions as preparatory for a pre-emptive departure. And, while I agree with the analysis of my friends regarding the worst case scenario mentioned above, I do not believe that the leadership in TEC will be able to exercise continued restraint with regard to the Diocese of South Carolina once they have the leverage of canonical revisions effective July 1.

My recent counsel to several friends in the Diocese of South Carolina has been a slight paraphrase of what I wrote on August 6, 2009 in advance of our clergy day following General Convention:

It’s time for you to join The Anglican Church of North America. (I would add that contacting Buddy Lindsey, the Chancellor for All Saints, Pawleys Island – the ONLY legal counsel to have won his case – is a must)

The belief occasioning that first post was born not only by the passing of D025 which overturned B033 but also by the Title IV revisions – except it would be a full year (October 2010) before the implications of the Title IV revisions would be debated and responded to locally.

In a few weeks the tables shift, and for my friends, I fear +David’s analysis is right.

I received this today:

From Bishop Lawrence: I will tune my writing as well as I can for the person in the pew. I will proceed by first putting forth in italics the accusation. In most cases I will just use their language, then, give my response. This could be much longer, but there is little need to try your patience.

a) The Bishop has taken no disciplinary measures or legal action against the leadership of the St. Andrew’s Parish, Mt. Pleasant, since it withdrew from TEC [The Episcopal Church] in March 2010.

I met with the rector of St. Andrew’s and have taken what I believe is godly and appropriate action to maintain the good order of the Church within this diocese, while seeking to keep the bonds of Christian fellowship between brothers and sisters in Christ free from rancor and misunderstanding. These are Christians with whom we have served side by side in the service of our Lord, whether on diocesan committees or in cooperative missions and ministry—Cursillo, missions to the Dominican Republic, St. John’s Chapel on the East side, St. Christopher, Youth Events, just to name a few. The legal action that this diocese took against All Saints, Pawleys Island drained from the mission and ministry of this Diocese of South Carolina over $500, 000 and along with losing the property bore only the sour fruit of animosity, broken relationships within families and long-time friendships, as well as within the larger community. Only now, through the sacrificial efforts of the parishioners and the leadership of what is now Christ the King Parish, Waccamaw and others, is the sour fruit of animosity being replaced with the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, given the Biblical injunctions and the ruling of the Supreme Court of South Carolina (which even the “national” Church chose not to contest) I see no need to replicate that experience here in the Charleston community—unless it is the one of reconciliation. The Diocesan Convention affirmed me in this approach. You cannot make people love you, or bind them to your Church through coercion or fear. But if the Christian graces prevail may we not yet see our unity restored?

Read the rest.

Last March the Diocese of South Carolina suspended their Annual Convention until October 15. They will reconvene at St. Paul’s, Summerville, to consider these proposed resolutions. Keep them in your prayers.

The Supremes have published their decision in the court case between the Diocese of Virginia and the parishes that chose to leave TEC.  You can find the ruling here.  Not sure at all what it means, though, I’m sure the Anglican Curmudgeon will offer some analysis shortly.

Virginia Anglican Congregations Disappointed.

May 19, 2010
Dear Christ Church family,

I am writing to inform you that I will be retiring as your rector September 1, 2010. With the encouragement and support of our wardens and vestry, I will not be returning after my sabbatical and vacation this Summer. May 30 will be my last Sunday at Christ Church.

Nine years ago Clancy Wolliver called for the vestry and search committee to invite me to be your rector. It was a dream come true, and Ellen, our children and I all felt it was God’s calling. Ministering among you at Christ Church has been the most spiritually demanding and fulfilling years of my 29 years as an Episcopal priest. Thank you for your amazing and generous support when my family and I needed you, for your patience when I failed you, and for your steadfast commitment to God and his Word. It has been an honor to serve one of the really great congregations in The Episcopal Church. For my failures and successes, I have loved you, the people of Christ Church.

I’m sure it will not surprise anyone that my decision to take early retirement is because of a crisis of conscience. Even though I was born and raised in The Episcopal Church, it has moved further and further away from the Gospel to which I committed my life and I have concluded that there is no future for me in this spiritual environment.

As for the future of Christ Church, you continue to be served exceptionally well by the best clergy and staff I have ever worked with. They are absolutely extraordinary, loyal and hardworking. When I retire, the Senior Warden and vestry will become the ecclesiastical authority in accordance with our Bylaws and with the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, and I’m sure the bishop and vestry will in good time initiate a search for a new Rector. I pray that God will send someone who loves you, who will have the respect of a great staff, and who will preach the power of God’s Word.

As for me and Ellen, please pray for us. I look forward to my sabbatical leave this summer. As you know, it was planned more than a year before my decision to retire. It may sound strange, but I will be focusing on reading and writing poetry, something that is deeply fulfilling to me at this point in my life. I trust it will be a chance to also pray and assess my future in God’s service. I love the Anglican heritage and I plan to devote my last years to serving God as an Anglican priest. I take with me deep and treasured memories of the times I have been with you in hospital rooms and homes, for baptisms, prayer services for sick friends and funerals, Bible studies through Daniel and Romans with passing references to Obadiah, and the privileged times I had your attention when I was in the pulpit.

This is the most difficult decision I have faced in ministry. Ellen and I have prayed hard and long about this and believe it is God’s will. I am especially grateful for a few friends who walked closely with me, who bought me untold numbers of beers (over a long period of time!), who fought for the concerns of my family and my retirement, and who never gave up on me. I am thankful for many others of you who prayed for me and for Christ Church regularly.

Please continue praying for me as I pray for you. I truly believe that “We have scarcely begun to see all of God that the Scriptures give us to see, and what we have not yet seen is exceedingly glorious” (John Piper).

Faithfully,

Chuck Collins
Rector

A statement from Anglican Mainstream following the consecration of Mary Glasspool:

In her letter to the Primates, the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church (TEC) Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, confirmed that the consecration of the openly gay Mary Glasspool is not a random event but comes from the settled mind of her church. Sadly, this shows that TEC has now explicitly decided to walk apart from most of the rest of the Communion.

Since that decision by TEC has to be respected, it should result in three consequences. First, TEC withdrawing, or being excluded from the Anglican Communion’s representative bodies. Second, a way must be found to enable those orthodox Anglicans who remain within TEC to continue in fellowship with the Churches of the worldwide Communion. Third, the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) should now be recognized an authentic Anglican Church within the Communion.

Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor,

Canon Dr Chris Sugden Executive Secretary, Anglican Mainstream

From the Anglican Curmudgeon:

Under that same Presiding Bishop (Jefferts Schori), the Episcopal Church (USA) claimed to “depose” Bishop Robert W. Duncan, then of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and now Archbishop of the Anglican Church of North America. The “deposition” was recognized only by the same handful of provinces which are beholden to ECUSA for financial and other support. Unlike Bishop V. Gene Robinson, he has since been welcomed at Lambeth Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury, he has been invited (with ++Cantuar’s blessing) by the Bishop of Winchester to preach and celebrate in his Diocese, and last week he led the celebration of the Eucharist at the gathering of the Global South provinces in Singapore.

It would seem that to be “deposed” by ECUSA’s House of Bishops is the ideal way to earn your standing among the other bishops of the Anglican Communion. To be consecrated by ECUSA’s bishops, however, seems to be a certain way to cause other Anglican bishops to look further into your qualifications.

Read the rest.