While clergy and parishioners from one of
the nation's oldest dioceses meet to chart a future outside the
Episcopal church, the church's national bishop has issued a pastoral
letter saying the Diocese of South Carolina can't leave the mother
church of its own accord."While some leaders have expressed a desire to leave the Episcopal Church, the diocese has not left," Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori wrote in a letter Thursday. "It cannot, by its own action. The alteration, dissolution, or departure of a diocese of The Episcopal Church requires the consent of the General Convention, which has not been consulted."
But leaders of the diocese, who have split with the national church over issues including ordination of gays, do not see it that way.
In an Oct. 15 letter, Jefferts Schori informed diocesan Bishop Mark Lawrence that he is considered to have abandoned the church and is barred from performing any "Episcopal, ministerial or canonical arts" while the full House of Bishops investigates.
But the standing committee that governs the local diocese passed a resolution earlier last month saying it would disaffiliate with the national church if the church took action "asserting or claiming any supervisory, disciplinary, or other alleged hierarchical authority over this diocese, its leaders or its members."
As a result, a special convention of clergy and delegates of the diocese comprising parishes throughout eastern and southern South Carolina is being held today in Charleston.
Representatives from many of the 70 congregations comprising about 29,000 parishioners in diocese are expected to attend, although not all parishes plan to leave the national church.
The Episcopal Church consecrated its first openly gay bishop in 2003, upsetting conservative Episcopalians.
In 2006 the Diocese of South Carolina voted to reject the authority of the national church's presiding bishop but stopped short of a full break with the church.
In his pastoral letter this week, Lawrence noted that for 25 years, the diocese has worked to remain faithful to the teachings of the church.
"While the 'national' Episcopal Church has married yesterday's fads and is quickly becoming today's widow, declining in membership and resources, we have grown our parishes and diocese in faithful and relevant ways," he wrote.
He added that he had heard from bishops and archbishops from around the world "representing the overwhelmingly vast majority of members of the Anglican Communion that they consider me as a faithful Anglican bishop in good standing and this diocese as part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church."
The Rev. David Thurlow of St. Matthias Church in Summerton said Friday he supports and endorses Lawrence's pastoral letter to the Diocese of South Carolina.
He said the main and underlying issue in the whole matter stems from decisions made by majority of the dioceses in the country choosing to reject the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ. Thurlow added despite the changing circumstances nothing has changed with regards to the diocese's identity.
"We are, always have been and shall remain the Diocese of South Carolina," Thurlow said. "We existed and operated as the Diocese of the South Carolina prior to existence of the national church, which we together with a handful of other dioceses established. Whereas a majority of Episcopalians in this country are choosing to vote for these innovations, the Diocese of South Carolina together with the overwhelming majority of the rest of our denomination throughout the world cannot embrace. They not only represent a marked departure from the faith of the Christ, but chiefly because they stand in direct conflict with scriptures and biblical witness we are called to follow and obey."
The Rev. John Barr of the Church of the Holy Comforter said the issue with the national church has been building for the last 25 years. Barr rejects the notion of the national church having a right to redefine the concept of marriage written in the Holy Bible.
"God has given us a clear picture that marriage is about the covenant between a man and a woman," Barr said. "I feel society or the court can't change something that is under the authority of the scripture."
He also strongly disagrees with the ordination of gay clergy in the Episcopal Church. It was an issue that caused several Lutherans to leave St. James Lutheran Church last year and form the Immanuel Lutheran Church.
"It is important that we stay obedient to the teachings of the Lord and what the Holy scripture tells us," Barr said. "Jesus died for all and welcomes all. Everyone is invited into the gospel, which changes all of us."
The diocese, dating from the 1700s, was one of the original dioceses that joined together to form the Episcopal Church.
The 2 million-member Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion, which has 77 million members worldwide.