All Saints Episcopal Church files motion with SCOTUS to withdraw the petition for Cert.   This is very good news for the Diocese of South Carolina and every parish in the Diocese – as well as beyond.

Praise God for this decision.

I awoke to read this nice email from Bonnie Anderson addressed to the deputies and first alternates from SC to the General Convention:  

March 19, 2010

 Dear Deputies and First Alternates,

 My thoughts and prayers are with you and the Diocese of South Carolina as you approach the gathering of the people of God at the 219th annual diocesan convention.

 I would like to offer my sincere thanks to you for your generosity of spirit in your preparation for General Convention and for your faithful participation in all that the House of Deputies accomplished at General Convention in Anaheim.

 For the 76th time in the history of The Episcopal Church, in Anaheim we experienced how the Holy Spirit works through our governance structure, fashioned by our founders, that requires the equal participation of laity, clergy and bishops. Centered in our community worship, we navigated difficult decisions with care and prayer.

 Now we begin again, laity, bishops, clergy, all taking our places in the councils of the Church as called for in our Catechism. Your diocesan convention offers the opportunities for relationship building, mission development and leadership. All are enabled by God in a unique gathering of all the baptized. As deputies, elected by and trusted by your diocese, you have been called into leadership.

 Leadership in “tough times” is challenging. We are called to do more ministry with fewer material resources. But our spiritual resources have not been diminished. Our spiritual resources are strengthened and increased as we come together in Christian community in the name of Jesus Christ.

 I pray that the convention of the Diocese of South Carolina is spirit-filled, generous and joyful and that you are happy and at peace.

 In thanksgiving for your ministry,

Bonnie Anderson, D.D.,
President, The House of Deputies

Earlier today Archbishop Jensen (Sydney) issued a statement regarding the gathering of consents necessary for Mary Glasspool, a non-celibate lesbian, to be consecrated as Suffragan Bishop of Los Angeles.  In it he praises the patience and gentility of those within and without the American church who have sought to be a “middle group” or a third way.  I have argued that the supposed third way – in but not in/out but not out – is a mythological and vain hope that fails the first test of logic.  In a different context: one is either in a marriage or one is not in a marriage.  If a couple, due to marital infidelity, decides to separate, either by moving down the hall to a different room within the house, or by departing the house, they are STILL married.  To remain within TEC, in spite of its biblical/theological infidelities, is to remain within TEC regardless of the linguistic gymnastics employed to persuade/delude oneself otherwise.  Mary Glasspool as a bishop of the church is a bishop for the church, including South Carolina.  It is a logical and ontological impossibility to be in but not in.

Now, Archbishop Jensen presses the “middle groupers” with these words:

With the election of the Reverend Mary Glasspool, a partnered lesbian, as a Bishop in Los Angeles in The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion reaches another decisive moment. It is now absolutely clear to all that the national Church itself has formally committed itself to a pattern of life which is contrary to Scripture. The election of Bishop Robinson in 2003 was not an aberration to be corrected in due course. It was a true indication of the heart of the Church and the direction of its affairs . . . . This is a decisive moment for this ‘middle’ group. Their patience has been gentle and praiseworthy. But to wait longer would not be patience – it would be obstinacy or even an unworthy anxiety (emphasis mine).

Read it all.

Now, my wondering eyes turn to the Convention of the Diocese of South Carolina and I wonder with the psalmist, “how long, O Lord?”  How long, and by what rationale, can we remain covenanted with an institution that has severed itself from its head (Colossians 2.18-20) and embraced another lover?

Chemical Kate, minister of disinformation and practitioner of ecclesiastical genocide, continues her wanton ways.

The Anglican Curmudgeon notes today the sale of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Binghampton, NY to a Muslim group – turning the church into a mosque?  Here’s the Curmudgeon’s report:

In court the Diocese’s complaint alleged that the parish was no longer using the property for the purposes for which its Episcopal ancestors had acquired and built it, and had spent money to maintain it over the years. But as we see, this was the hypocrisy of the dog in the manger. The Diocese could not put the property to any such use; it lacked sufficient parishioners to support the property. So under the twisted and hypocritical logic of the Dennis Canon, the Diocese is seen as upholding the purposes of the original donors better by letting the property become — what, a mosque? — rather than allowing it to be used by those who were more faithful to that tradition than was Bishop Adams. (The hypocrisy in central and western New York does not seem to be confined just to Episcopalians.)

This is one of the principal reasons I cannot subscribe to the leftwing lurches of the Episcopal Church (USA). Those on the left are incapable of perceiving the hypocrisy between what they profess and what they do. They move in with their agenda, and inevitably make things much worse for the Church than they were before. And as the Church slowly fails in its great mission, dragged down by the enormous expense of unmitigated lawsuits, and led by people who would rather see Muslims than Anglicans make use of their property, they refuse to accept any responsibility whatsoever for the decline.

Read it all.

In this morning’s Post & Courier Peter Moore wrote a rebuttal to the misleading full-page ad placed by the Episcopal Forum of South Carolina.  Well done, Peter, and thanks.

The full-page ad in the March 2 Post and Courier by The Episcopal Forum of S.C. begs for a response.

Some may respond by becoming members, others by raised eyebrows. My response is bemused and unpersuaded.

As a life-long Episcopalian, former dean of one of the Episcopal Church’s 11 seminaries, ordained priest for 49 years and author of several books including “A Church To Believe In,” I am less enthusiastic about the current state of the Episcopal Church (TEC) than members of the forum appear to be.

And I say this as someone who has visited nearly every diocese in this church, including Alaska and Hawaii, and preached or spoken in most. Also, I am a convinced Anglican with a deep loyalty to our Anglican heritage.

In its description of “I am an Episcopalian” the forum touches on many issues with which I have great sympathy: the dignity of every person, our ancient liturgy, women’s ordination, lay involvement and the world-wide body of 70 million members of which we are a part.

What it does not say as clearly as it ought is that this worldwide body, the Anglican Communion, is profoundly upset with the current activities of the Episcopal Church, to the point that a majority of its Primates (chief bishops in each international province) consider themselves in broken communion with it, and increasingly are officially recognizing the newly-formed Anglican Church of North America as a more authentic representative of true Anglicanism in this continent.

Why?

– Leading bishops and theologians of the Episcopal Church, including the presiding bishop, will not affirm Jesus Christ as the unique Son of God and the only way to salvation.

– While the Bible is mined for interesting theological ideas, TEC is unwilling to submit to the clear teaching of Scripture on many issues, including those of marriage and sexuality.

– TEC has consistently sided in its affirmations with the pro-abortion forces within government and society.

– Far from honoring differences, as the forum says, TEC is involved in more than 60 lawsuits against its own churches and dioceses whom it considers unEpiscopalian because they cannot follow present leadership of TEC because of its lack of adherence to traditional Christian beliefs.

– TEC’s presiding bishop has consistently assumed powers that are uncanonical, and thereby unlawful under TEC’s own laws and constitution, and freely removes bishops and clergy who openly differ with her.

– In flagrant refusal to submit to worldwide Christian opinion, it has ordained a noncelibate homosexual as a bishop and is poised to ordain others as bishops who similarly live in relationships that disregard the biblical norm for sexuality.

– TEC’s House of Bishops will not discipline fellow members who widely disseminate outrageously unChristian views with impunity.

I believe that the vast majority of Episcopalians in the Diocese of South Carolina question the forum’s understanding of the Faith and Order to which we all have pledged allegiance.

Rather, we stand firmly and lovingly with our bishop and those clergy and laity who carry on effective ministries in Christ’s name throughout this Diocese.

THE VERY REV. PETER C. MOORE, D.D.
Ponsbury Road
Mount Pleasant

This brilliant piece was posted by A. S. Haley on the Anglican Curmudgeon tonight.  Here’s one of my favorite clips, but read it all – it offers backstory to the climate in the Diocese of SC.

One would think that these propositions are self-evident, but not with this Presiding Bishop, who in the language of the Wild West from whence she hails, was described by Bishop Lee of Virginia, according to testimony in the Virginia litigation, as “the new sheriff in town.” Just the fact that a Presiding Bishop could mange to have her role as Chief Pastor of the Church viewed as closer to that of a “sheriff” says all that need be said about what is wrong with the current leadership of the Episcopal Church (USA).

Here’s the rest of Haley’s article, South Carolina: A Case Study in How to Tear a Church apart.

The following resolutions were released by the Diocesan Office today.  These will be debated and voted upon at our upcoming Diocesan Convention, Friday, 26 March.  The Convention will be held at St. Paul’s, Summerville.  These are good resolutions and they need to pass.  St. Andrew’s will be represented by it’s clergy as well as our lay deputies, Mike Hughes, Tom Moorman, Howard Rambo and Frenchie Richards.  Keep the Convention in your prayers.

Proposed Resolution R-1      2010 Convention

Offered by:     The Rev. Canon Kendall Harmon, The Very Rev. Peet Dickinson, The Rev. Jeff Miller,  The Rev. Arthur Jenkins, The Rev. Canon Jim Lewis, The Rev . James Taylor,   The Rev. Rick Luoni , The Rev. Karl Burns, The Rev. Greg Snyder, The Rev. Marshall Huey, The Rev. Louise Weld, The Rev. Jennie C. Olbrycht, The Very Rev. Craige Borrett

Subject:     Recognition of the Heritage and a proclamation of the Identity of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina

RESOLVED, That this 219th Convention acknowledges that for more than three centuries this Diocese has represented the Anglican expression of the faith once for all delivered to the saints; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that we declare to all that we understand ourselves to be a gospel diocese, called to proclaim an evangelical faith, embodied in a catholic order, and empowered and transformed through the Holy Spirit; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we promise under God not to swerve in our belief that above all Jesus came into the world to save the lost, that those who do not know Christ need to be brought into a personal and saving relationship with him, and that those who do know Christ need to be taught by the Holy Scriptures faithfully to follow him all the days of their lives to the Glory of God the Father

Proposed Resolution R-2      2010 Convention

Offered by:  The Standing Committee

Subject: Response to Ecclesiastical Intrusions by the Presiding Bishop

RESOLVED, That this 219th Convention of the Diocese of  South Carolina affirms its legal and ecclesiastical authority as a sovereign diocese within the Episcopal Church, and be it further

RESOLVED,  That this Convention declares the Presiding Bishop has no authority to retain attorneys in this Diocese that present themselves as the legal counsel for the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, and be it finally
RESOLVED, That the Diocese of South Carolina demands that the Presiding Bishop drop the retainer of all such legal counsel in South Carolina as has been obtained contrary to the express will of this Diocese, which is The Episcopal Church within its borders.

Proposed Resolution R-3      2010 Convention

Offered by:  The Standing Committee

Subject: Addition of  Canon XXXVII  Of The Ecclesiastical Authority

The Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese is the Bishop. If there is no Bishop, the Standing Committee is the Ecclesiastical Authority. The Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese, with the advice and counsel of the Chancellor, is the sole and final authority with respect to any dispute concerning the interpretation of the Constitution and Canons of this Diocese and its interpretations shall be final and binding in all respects.

Proposed Resolution R-4      2010 Convention

Offered by:  The Standing Committee

Subject:  Amendment Canon XXX

Prohibiting the Desecration of Consecrated Buildings and the Alienation of Church Property Without Consent of The Ecclesiastical Authority and the Standing Committee

Resolved, that the following Section be added to Canon XXX.

Section 6.  “It is within the power of the Ecclesiastical Authority of this Diocese to provide a generous pastoral response to parishes in conflict with the Diocese or Province, as the Ecclesiastical Authority judges necessary, to preserve the unity and integrity of the Diocese.”

Explanation:

1. The actions of the Presiding Bishop’s office, now publicly acknowledged, have demonstrated a clear willingness and intent both to legally pursue congregations we consider parishes in good standing, and attempt to utilize diocesan resources to do so.

2. We’ve experienced now as a diocese, in the All Saints, Pawleys Island litigation, the destructive force of such litigation; how it has created animosities and divisions that are not easily healed. It has failed as a positive cohesive force for maintaining the unity of the church and has in fact had precisely the opposite effect. Christians are suing Christians (I Cor. 6:1-8); the reputation of the church is marred, and vital resources are diverted from essential Kingdom work.  None of this is honoring to our Savior.

3. It has been the implicit understanding of this Diocese that the Bishop inherently has the authority to deal with such situations. The current practice of the Bishop to deal pastorally with parishes struggling with their relationship with the Diocese or Province must be given explicit canonical force. The discretion exercised by the bishop is the only way to successfully navigate the current challenges before us.

Proposed Resolution R-5      2010 Convention

Offered by:  The Standing Committee

Subject: Removal of  Canon XX  Of Baskervill Ministries

Resolved, that Canon XX of the Diocese of South Carolina Canons be removed.

Explanation:  With the consent of the Bishop, the original Baskervill Ministries  and other attendant ministries were reorganized under the leadership and guidance of Holy Cross Faith Memorial parish.   The Diocese is no longer responsible for the selection of board members.

Gerald Bray’s recent editorial in the Churchman regarding the formative influence of Calvin upon Anglicanism:

The precise shape of that Protestantism however owes more to John Calvin than it does to Henry VIII, who never really broke with the traditional Catholicism of his youth. Calvin never visited England, but he corresponded with people there and welcomed British exiles in Geneva during the reactionary reign of Mary Tudor. It was in Geneva, under his auspices, that the best and most influential early English translation of the Bible appeared (in 1560) and relations between the Swiss city and the British Isles would remain close long after his death. Calvin’s mentor, Martin Bucer, fled to England in 1548, and although he died there within a year, he made an impact on English theology and worship that can still be detected in the Book of Common Prayer. The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion follow the outline of Calvin’s Institutes to a surprising extent, and their content is similar. It is no exaggeration to say that the theologians who shaped Anglican identity in the Elizabethan era were deeply indebted to Calvin, whose major works were quickly translated into English to become the staple diet of the new-style ordinands being turned out by the universities during those years.

Read the rest.

Last week Todd Simonis and Daron Taylor went to NYC for a visit to 815 (no kidding) and due to the snowstorm their one day trip ended up being a four day trip.  Here’s a video highlight of their time:

In this fine article the Anglican Curmudgeon describes, helpfully, what is meant when the phrase, “doctrine, discipline and worship” is invoked.  See what you think:

Reaction from the left side of the Episcopal aisle to the facts laid out in my previous post about South Carolina has been, if not completely predictable, then certainly telling. In fact, I find it downright fascinating. Here we have the liberals in the Church — the reappraisers, the ones oriented to the left of center — taking a fundamentalist approach to the issue of just what constitutes the “doctrine, discipline and worship” of the Episcopal Church (USA). In jurisprudence, we would call their stance one of “legal positivism” — that is to say, “if there is not a law about it somewhere, then no law exists on the subject.”