The final choice, of course, rests with the Diocese (speaking through its convention).
And that, it turns out, is a very good place in which to start. Just what is the “Diocese of South Carolina”, and what abilities and powers does it have when it speaks through its convention?
Here we must be careful to distinguish the ecclesiastical realities from the legal realities. Dioceses of a Church have dual personalities: they are participants in the Church of which they are a constituent member, and at one and the same time, they are legal entities (“persons”) in the eyes of the State(s) in which they exist, and have their boundaries.
The Episcopal Church (USA), as has been discussed many times on this blog, is a rather unique entity in the eyes of the secular law. It formed itself in 1789, as an “unincorporated association.” But what do those legal terms actually mean?
Here is a scenario I see as possible and would like to be discussed…
1. The Diocese of South Caroline withdraws from TAC. Those parishes that choose to remain in TEC are free to do so because of the quitclaims on property of DioSC.
2. Traditionalist parishes in the upper S.C. diocese vote leave their diocese (since the state supreme court has ruled that vestries are sovereign in that state under trust law) and join DioSC because of its godly bishop and Biblical adherance.
3. Because Anglicans are apostolic, the now statewide DioSC joins ACNA.
4. Parishes in Upper S.C. that are “lukewarm” suddenly find the process of liberalization becoming vastly accellerated.
Sorry…in point 1 make that TEC…
Since nobody seems to know how many parishioners or parishes or dioceses the TAC has, Dio SC could leave TAC and nobody could deny it…. ;o)