Resolution:
Be it resolved that the 217th Convention of the Diocese of South Carolina dissociates itself from the affiliation of The Episcopal Church (TEC) with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC).
Explanation:
On the 12th of January 2006, the Executive Committee of The Episcopal Church voted to formalize the relationship between The Episcopal Church and the RCRC, a registered political lobby, which advocates for unlimited abortion rights in the political realm. The literature and website of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice reveal that it advocates positions specifically at odds with those of the Episcopal Church as expressed by a resolution of the 1994 General Convention declaring that, “As Christians, we believe strongly that if [the right to abortion] is exercised, it should be used only in extreme situations. We emphatically oppose abortion as a means of birth control, family planning, sex selection, or any reason of mere convenience.” Further on this the final day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, it must be noted that this affiliation represents yet another divergence from the normative moral teaching of Catholic Christianity.
[b]Update (from elfgirl):[/b]
For those readers who may have been unaware of the Episcopal Church’s formal affiliation with the RCRC, we’ve compiled a pretty extensive list of links which will provide much background and commentary on the topic, which has (in our opinion) flown much too far under the radar in many dioceses and much of the debate about TEC’s current beliefs and actions.
Here’s the link: http://new.kendallharmon.net/wp-content/uploads/index.php/t19/article/9529/#175687
–elfgirl
Well done, DioSC. That any religious organization (aside from Satanist cults) would align itself with this loathsome band is a travesty.
Yeah! Praise the Lord! Way to go, Diocese of South Carolina! How I wish Dallas had the guts to do the same thing!
Thank you, South Carolina Episcopalians, for standing up for life! My prayer is that this will be the start of a movement across the mainline, where Christians in local churches and middle judicatories will repudiate the association of their denominations with the worshipers of Moloch.
Someone let me know when SC disaffiliates from TEC. Until then, heresy is one of those things where there is such a thing as guilt by association.
P.S. to my above… I applaud them for their actions. But it really is a weak gesture at best while they remain in TEC.
Gee, I wonder if THIS will lead to charges of Abandonment of Communion.
Ed,
Yes, +Bp Lawrence will be consecrated on Sunday, and then the 60 day clock to depose him for Abandonment of Communion starts Monday.
ECUSA places so much emphasis on the will of its national convention. Its as if the ECUSA national convention possesses a legitimacy of its own that trancends Scripture, tradition and the synodic will of the Anglican Communion.
Schori, prances around, like a war horse, justifying her unChristian actions based on the will of ECUSA’s convention.
Wel Ms Scori, here is a diocesan convention expressing its will.
Will you give the will of this diocese’s convention the same adoration and respect that you have given to the will of ECUSA’s convention?
I think not. You, my lady, are a person of inconsistent standards.
Sorry #7, Bishop-elect Lawrence will be consecrated TOMORROW.
That give him a full day to escape any charges.
Gloria
Thank you South Carolina for your bold stance. The affiliation of ECUSA with RCRC is shameful.
I am glad to read of this resolution. It was a joy to hear Bishop Salmon and Bishop-elect Lawrence speak to the diocesan convention this morning.
Tom Rightmyer in Asheville, NC
Great vote! Pray for San Diego next month.
Thanks be to God for the moral courage of South Carolina. Let it be known that this member of Integrity (are you listening Susan Russell?) is 100% opposed to the RCRC and is 100% supportive of Anglicans For Life http://www.anglicansforlife.org as well as Democrats For Life http://www.democratsforlife.org and The Pro-Life Alliance of Gays & Lesbians http://www.plagal.org, all of whom will be receiving an online donation or check from me tomorrow.
Is this whole thing sort of symptomatic ofnglicanism’s downfall–that TEC belongs to a pro-abortion lobby group, and that SC’s response is to pass a resolution…but remain fully in the Episcopal Church…
San Diego has a RCRC resolution pending:
http://innocentdoves.blogspot.com/2007/12/episcopal-diocese-of-san-diego.html
Their convention is Feb 8 – 9th. Let’s keep them in prayer. In 2006 San Diego successfully passed a resolution calling for GC06 to vote on the RCRC membership (which I believed died in committee at GC06 along with 2 other resolutions on the matter). This was San Diego’s 2006 resolution:
[blockquote]06-06: Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC)
Passed without change.
Resolved: The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego requests that the 75th General Convention (2006) vote to confirm or deny the action of Executive Council approving the Episcopal Church’s membership in the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.[/blockquote]
Pittsburgh’s diocesan leadership also disaffiliated from RCRC in 2006, but I don’t know if the diocese as a whole did. I believe Springfield’s diocesan leaders also somehow disavowed TEC’s RCRC membership.
We’ll be compiling a list of links with a history of the articles, commentary and resolutions re: RCRC very shortly. We’d welcome readers’ help in adding anything we miss.
I’ve been surprised to see some commentary on this by bloggers on another site which proclaimed they were totally ignorant of TEC’s affiliation with RCRC. It’s been a major topic on the blogs for 2 years, and several Living Church articles have covered the controversy. RCRC membership was the subject of, I believe, 3 or 4 resolutions at General Convention 2006.
Pittsburgh’s diocesan leadership passed a resolution of disaffiliation with RCRC in 2006, I believe, and San Diego, and perhaps Tennessee had resolutions of concern, calling on General Convention to vote, rather than leave it as an Executive Council action. I think Mississippi had a resolution on this, and Bp. Gray recently took a stand…
Al Kimel of Pontifications blogged extensively on it.
In the summer of 2007 The Rev. George Woodliff of Mississippi had a big petition drive post GC06 that was the lead item on Stand Firm for weeks and garnered close to a thousand signatures, if I recall correctly
Even Fr. Jake blogged on the Exec Council action in Jan. 2006, opposing it!
For those who want all the background and resources on this, here’s a pretty extensive list of links we were able to compile this morning.
———-
[b]Living Church articles:[/b]
[url=http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2006/01/20/executive-council-affirms-churchs-membership-in-abortion-rights-group]Jan06[/url]
[url=http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2006/02/24/growing-opposition-to-affiliation-with-abortion-rights-group]Feb06[/url]
[url=http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2007/06/14/council-defends-membership-in-abortion-rights-group]June07[/url]
[url=http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2007/10/11/wrongly-matched]July07[/url]
[b]Old T19 entries[/b]
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=1169
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=10977
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=11002
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=11032
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=11574
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=12590
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=13609
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=13976#comment-807295
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=13976#comment-807819
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=18820#comment-2042771
[b]Stand Firm entries:[/b]
— George Woodliff’s essay & Petition Drive
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/782
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/jaccuse.php
— Other Stand Firm articles
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/246
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/to_come_unto_me/
[url=http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/noel_episcopal_church_upholds_sanctity_of_abortion/]NOEL article[/url]
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/2018
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/3662
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/3684
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/8464/
[b]GC06 resolutions (none passed. All were killed in Committee)[/b]
C048 (Dio Tennessee)
http://gc2006.org/legislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=288&type=CURRENT
B026 (Bp. Keith Ackerman)
http://gc2006.org/legislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=350&type=CURRENT
D063 (Lorne Coyle, Central FL)
http://gc2006.org/legislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=349&type=CURRENT
SF Live blog on HoB RCRC debate
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/433
GC06 Commentary on RCRC resolutions from South Carolina’s Lydia Evans
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=13609
A good summary by a reasserting parish of GC06 actions and inaction:
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=14095
[b]Diocesan RCRC News and resolutions[/b]:
Pittsburgh:
http://www.pgh.anglican.org/news/local/standingcommitteeRCRC042406
SanDiego:
http://web.archive.org/web/20060603022816/http://www.edsd.org/dc2006results.html
http://innocentdoves.blogspot.com/2007/12/episcopal-diocese-of-san-diego.html
Tennessee:
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=11136
http://mineironheart.blogspot.com/2006/01/statement-of-conscience.html
http://mineironheart.blogspot.com/2006/06/abortion-episcopal-church.html
Mississippi
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/2018
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/3662
— Exec Council response to Bp. Gray
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_86899_ENG_HTM.htm
Springfield
(as reported by [url=http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2006/2/24/growing-opposition-to-affiliation-with-abortion-rights-group] the Living Church[/url])
[blockquote]Disassociation from membership in the RCRC has already occurred in the Diocese of Springfield. On Feb. 11, the diocesan council approved a resolution “on its own behalf and on behalf of the Diocese of Springfield” to disassociate from membership in the RCRC. Under the canons of the Diocese of Springfield, the council is authorized to act on behalf of the diocese when the diocesan synod is not in session. The Diocese of Springfield held its annual synod Oct. 28-29.[/blockquote]
Central FL — Resolution A6 in 2007
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/print/1672/
note: was passed by voice vote, without debate.
[blockquote]Resolution A-6 Concerning the 40th Anniversary of NOEL
Presenters: The Rev. Lorne Coyle
Mrs. Patty Tew
Mrs. Anneke Bertsch
Date: October 30, 2006
RESOLVED:
That this 38th Convention of the Diocese of Central Florida celebrates NOEL’s 40 years of affirming life within the Anglican Communion and by this resolution signals our ongoing support for life from conception to natural death. A copy of this resolution shall be sent to NOEL President Georgette Forney and the Board.
Explanation: Bishop Joseph Harte of Arizona founded NOEL’s precursor, Episcopalians for Life, in 1966. That group was incorporated as the National Organization of Episcopalians for Life Research and Education Foundation in 1984, with Canon John W. Howe as Chairman of the Board. In order to minister more widely within the Anglican Communion, the group legally changed its name in 2004 to NOEL. It now ministers not only within the Episcopal Church but also in the Common Cause churches and, indeed, in places from Ireland to Kenya. In a unique grass-roots partnership with the Roman Catholic group Priests for Life, NOEL co-founded in 2003 the highly effective Silent No More awareness campaign to minister to post-abortive women.
[b]In 2005 the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church voted to continue its affiliation with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC). At the 75th General Convention in June of 2006, resolutions were introduced to require the Executive Council to disaffiliate from the RCRC. Those resolutions did not make it out of the Social & Urban Affairs legislative committee hearings despite significant support from NOEL Board members, deputies, and visitors.[/b]
This resolution will make clear the difference between what this diocese believes about life issues and what the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church believes.[/blockquote]
[b]ENS articles[/b]:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/6085_37993_ENG_HTM.htm
[b]Various Bloggers:[/b]
Fr. Jake:
http://frjakestopstheworld.blogspot.com/2006/01/episcopal-church-yoked-with-rcrc.html
Captain Yips:
http://captainyips.typepad.com/journal/2006/01/another_nail_in.html
Confessing Reader
http://reader.classicalanglican.net/?p=509
MCJ
http://mcj.bloghorn.com/2173
Unfortunately I believe the full texts of Al Kimel’s two excellent essays on this matter, “Living in Darkness: Episcopalians and the Ethics of Abortion” and “Molech in the Episcopal Temple,”
are currently unavailable online. If anyone has access to them, please send the copy to us!
The original links were:
http://catholica.pontifications.net/?p=1336
http://catholica.pontifications.net/?p=1345
If anyone can find archives, we’d be VERY grateful!
Update:
We’d linked some of Fr. Patrick Allen’s blog entries on the RCRC affiliation matter above under the Tennessee news section (Fr. Allen used to be in the Dio. of Tennessee). All of his RCRC-related entries can be found here:
[url=http://mineironheart.blogspot.com/search?q=religious+coalition+for+reproductive+choice]TEC & RCRC[/url]
The Diocese of Albany passed a similar resolution at its June 2007 convention. See the diocesan website under Albany Episcopalian, October issue. Sorry, don’t know how to do links.
Not to monopolize this thread or anything… 😉
Over at StandFirm, Jill Woodliff has posted a helpful comment:
[blockquote]South Carolina makes the sixth diocese to dissociate. The first five were Mississippi, Albany, Quincy, Springfield, and Pittsburgh. San Diego votes on dissociation in two weeks.
Carl, there is no binding force to the dissociation, as I understand it. The dissociation is primarily a means for a diocese to differentiate itself from the Executive Council’s decision. Of course, the more dioceses that differentiate themselves, the more the Executive Council’s leadership is called into question.[/blockquote]
Central Florida should perhaps be in this list also (see Resolution A-6 from 2007 included in my compilation above). The background to the resolution makes clear the intent to differentiate Central FL from the Exec Council action, though the actual “whereas” is merely an affirmation of NOEL.
I’d forgotten (or been unaware?) of Albany’s action. Here’s the info I was able to find on that:
The summary of Albany’s diocesan convention is here:
http://www.albanyepiscopaldiocese.org/news/episcopalian/071001.html
It contains this text:
Several Resolutions followed the budget, among them, Resolution # 4, which stated, “Resolved, That the 2007 Convention of the Diocese of Albany disassociates our Diocese from any participation in or support of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice; and Resolved, That the 2007 Convention of the Diocese of Albany affirms the sanctity of human life as a gift of God from conception to natural death.†As expected, some debate ensued. A motion to table the Resolution was defeated. Support of the Resolution came from a number of priests and the Resolution was overwhelmingly approved.
Good for you, Dio SC!
Lol – 6 & 7 – probably! Thanks for the laugh!
A reader has kindly pointed out my negligence in not including a link to Anglicans for Life’s website in my compilation above.
I was mostly focusing on news stories and commentary surrounding the Exec Council RCRC affiliation, and various diocesan resolutions or GC resolutions related to that action. But Anglicans for Life is a fantastic resource that all pro-life Anglicans need to know about.
http://www.anglicansforlife.org/index/
And if you want to see Anglicans for Life president Georgette Forney, go to SanDiegoAnglicans.com here. They have a video presentation of the talk she did for the San Diego AAC chapter in December. We are in the process of starting a local Anglicans for Life chapter in San Diego, so prayers are appreciated!
Thanks for posting. Amidst everything else, this did slip under the radar for a lot of us. Randall
Branford, thanks a million for that link to Georgette’s talk! I hope many people will take the time to listen to it.