Thinking Anglicans

South Carolina election consents

The episcopal election in South Carolina of Mark Lawrence has to be approved by a majority of the bishops with jurisdiction and a majority of the diocesan standing committees of ECUSA. (This was the election where one of the losing candidates announced shortly thereafter that he was going to work instead for the Anglican Mission in America, a separate ecclesial body, not part of the Anglican Communion, though with ties to the Province of Rwanda.)

Episcopal News Service reported: Via Media group asks bishops, standing committees to refuse consent to South Carolina bishop-elect.

The Via Media letters can be read here:
To Bishops
To Standing Committees

There is also a major article by Lionel Deimel here: No Consents.

And another article by Wake Up is here: There Is An Impediment. For more about this group, see here.

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Leonardo Ricardo
Leonardo Ricardo
17 years ago

Big conversation at Fr. Jakes too:

http://frjakestopstheworld.blogspot.com/

“Via Media Urges Closer Scrutiny of Bishop-elect Lawrence”

Marshall Scott
17 years ago

All of this is well within the language of General Convention resolution B033. The resolution “urges restraint,” but still leaves the decisions in the hands of the bishops and Standing Committees. So, these groups appeal to those bishops and Standing Committees.

I think the argument about one’s commitment to ordination vows is pertinent. However, I don’t know how compelling it will be when the person hasn’t yet taken those vows. This may well once again requirement measurement by behavior after rather than prevention of the ordination.

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