Due to the actions of General Convention, the South Carolina Deputation has concluded that we cannot continue with business as usual. We all agree that we cannot and will not remain on the floor of the House and act as if all is normal. John Burwell and Lonnie Hamilton have agreed to remain at Convention to monitor further developments and by their presence demonstrate that our action is not to be construed as a departure from the Episcopal Church. Please pray for those of us who will be traveling early and for those who remain.
Prayers for a safe journey homeward.
Please pray for Fr. Burwell and Mr. Hamilton.
What about +Lawrence?
Seems an overreaction given that they have already made their position clear and had the Indianapolis Statement read, but to each their own.
I’m sure this will be construed as “abandonment of communion†with un-canonical defrocking and/or Title IV complaints to follow. We can’t expect them to pass up such a great opportunity for getting rid of more of those troublesome conservatives.
Good for them. They all are in my prayers.
Actions speak so much louder than words.
The words of the Indianapolis Statement will be forgotten by most tomorrow. This action will not be.
Thanks be to God for the courage He gives His people.
Almighty God, we give you thanks and pray for Bishop Mark Lawrence, John Burwell, Jim Lewis, David Thurlow, Reid Boylston, Lydia Evans, Lonnie Hamilton and Elizabeth (Boo) Pennewill commending them to your comfort, love and protection, in Jesus’ Name.
Lord in your Mercy, hear our prayer.
Amen
I wish there were more with guts as these!! Godspeed to them! Lord have mercy on us all.
An overreaction, #4?
Hardly. Setting out flaming bags of dog poop would be an overreaction. This is a statement, and a powerful one. We are watching church history in the making.
I hope that others follow.
Do you think that this church cares what a small minority of conservatives think or what message it sends? They’ve run roughshod over the orthodox for so long and the law is obviously on their side, so i’m not sure what difference this action makes. It only matters if they care and I don’t see much evidence of that so far…
magnolia, perhaps the message is for the rest of us?
Very pleased.
I *love* symbolic acts of differentiation. It’s important that the chasm be made iconically clear between revisionists and conservatives in TEC.
Given past events, and those at the GC, it will be hard for +KJS to let this pass unanswered. Prayers for +SC and the diocese, and that the other signatories may be willing to show at least some of the same courage.
RE: “it only matters if they care . . . ”
Uh. I don’t give a flying fig if “they” [the revisionist activists] care or what their feelings or thoughts or perspectives or ideology or foundational worldview or pretty much anything else is.
I doubt very much that the Diocese of South Carolina decides on its actions based on what revisionists think or feel.
Sorry to bring it up again, but does anyone know if Bishop Lawrence has left the house of bishops as well, or is he staying?
#15, I just saw this on the live Twitter feed: (via Episc. Cafe)
Bp Mark Lawrence, SC, attended pm session of HBishops, informed them he was leaving. Attempts to change his mind failed. He’s gone.
——
The news re: SC departure just hit the Twitter feed about 10 minutes ago, first via a Tweet from Geo. Conger+
The reactions are, ummmm…. “Interesting” …. One reads:
At least we don’t have to listen to anymore traditionalist blather at #GC77. Farewell SC. Don’t let the door hit u on the way out. Onward!
———
It is also reported via Twitter that +Burwell & Lonnie A. were on the floor of the HOD for the vote just completed on the CWOB resolution (C029). Haven’t seen the results yet. Glad they were there to witness that, as, in my mind, it is almost a more critical resolution and issue than the SSBs resolution, though of course they are INTIMATELY related. Same bad theology. Whatever feels good, do it.
Can a Christain who upholds “…the Faith once given…” maintain his obedience to the Gospel and the Word of God given through the prophets and remain in the presence of persons who knowingly/unknowingly are condoning the blessing of sin?
To remain would be to maintain a pretense that ‘all is normal’ in the Anglican “big tent.”
All is not normal. And to not openly acknowledge that fact is ‘in it self’ a sin of omission. An omission to stand up, walk out and to thus give witness in opposition to the serious heresies that are widening the breach in ECUSA.
Jefferts Schori herself said, when she was elected presiding bishop of the confederation that is ECUSA, that ECUSA is in fact two churches. And she didn’t mean “high church” and “low church.”
Holy Smokes! I am surprised this happened. No doubt, there are many revisionists who are extremely pleased that this has happened. Prayers!
Sorry, this is a bit off-topic, but I don’t know where else to post it.
Been following the Twitter feed watching the reaction to SC decision to leave, and also awaiting the vote results on C029 (the CWOB resolution).
It is very telling to see the relative totals of Tweets about C029 (see #c029) versus the silly game the Deputies are playing called Bonnie Ball (#bonnieball). Who cares about the Eucharist & Baptism when one can critique and give points to people’s wardrobes.
The Communion Partners rose and collectively made a statement in public. I am with Sarah in loving symbolism, this just seems a bit like sore losers to me. However, it is their choice and their statement to make, so God bless them.
#17 If it is true that being a Christian requires separation, when does that mean separation from TEC as well? If staying in a meeting with heretics is wrong, when is remaining in a Church of heretics too much to bear? I am not advocating leaving, I am simply interested in the logical conclusion of this line of argument.
Ok, we are going to go through this slowly.
Bishop Lawrence went to the House of Bishops this afternoon. He made a statement, Then after the statement he left.
My understanding is what he said was from the heart so there will be no text and, sadly, since the session was closed we didn’t get to hear it.
I am in sympathy for the Diocese of South Carolina and for its deputation and its Bishop. I know many of them from previous conventions. As one of those who also felt compelled to leave the floor in 2003, I know what a struggle they are going through. I grieve with them for this church and I pray for them.
Fr Tom Hightower, Diocese of Fort Worth.
I am just remembering 2003 when I left Minneapolis early. I was going to try to stay after the VGS election, but I saw Bp. Charles kissing his male lover out in the middle Marquette St. and just couldn’t stand anymore. Even so, it was very hard for me to leave early even with what was going on, so I know how DSC must feel. BTW I was never forgiven by DUSC, which weighed on me for a long time. DSC will not only be forgiven, they will be applauded, as they should be.
I will never forget the tone of Bishop Lawrence’s voice following the last General Convention. I am certain he spoke with great eloquence and heart. Per above references to who cares? God cares and bishops such as Bishop Lawrence defend our very souls as long as we are Episcopalians. Yes, history is being made. I am honored to live in SC.
Ditto, Fr. Hightower! I am glad that they are making a strong statement by walking out, but where are the other “orthodox” dioceses…Dallas? Albany? W. Louisiana? W. Texas? etc.??? S.C. cannot make much difference alone.
I may be wrong, and it may be premature to say that I think the handwriting is on the wall, but I see rebellion in this move. If this is true, then we may see a reaction from Schori and Friends, and we know what that reaction could be. I think deposition of Bishop Lawrence and the dissolution of the SC Standing Committee may be just around the corner.
“…but where are the other “orthodox†dioceses…Dallas? Albany? W. Louisiana? W. Texas? etc.??? S.C. cannot make much difference alone.”
Bishop Love made his voice heard clearly and with courage as a priest at the 2003 GC (if I remember correctly). He then went on to become the bishop of the Diocese of Albany.
He hasn’t changed. He is still the same person.
However, each diocese has a different strategic, tactical and pastoral situation. That means that chess boards of each diocese are set up differently and therefore the ‘play’ in each diocese will be different.
20. [Edited – please would commenters stick to the substance of the matter rather than speculation – thanks – Elf]
Whatever comes, my prayers and thanks for their steadfast witness.
Thanks to Father Hightower for his comment. It is a time to try to support one another in as many ways as possible.
#24 — I don’t think the only appropriate response is SC’s. I doubt SC thinks that!
And if Albany, and Dallas, and West Texas, and Western Louisiana walk out–what next? SC’s response, I have to believe, is a personal one, and is not a repudiation of those who stay. Perhaps we will know more of their intention when we see +Lawrence’s statement, but I think there is much wisdom in finishing out the convention before regrouping. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of those same delegation find themselves talking together over the next few days about how to support one another in this new day.
yes, no. 11 you are probably right about that.
[From tweets] “Bp Mark Lawrence, SC, attended pm session of HBishops, informed them he was leaving. Attempts to change his mind failed. He’s gone.”
I am sure they would have attempted to change his mind. Despite the bravado of the liberals, they are concerned about public opinion even from conservative pew-dwellers. Walk-outs create an unpleasant scene and focus attention on disputes. They don’t like that.
“God cares and bishops such as Bishop Lawrence defend our very souls as long as we are Episcopalians. Yes, history is being made. I am honored to live in SC.”
I agree. The first and main duty that God places on any christian leader is to speak out. The results are a matter for the Lord and do not concern us.
Too often in recent decades western churches have been let down by bishops who neglect to state where they stand on key issues. Thank God that the bishop of South Carolina and his delegation have made a clear statement of where they stand.
South Carolina is not advancing their position, or any intelligent debate by walking. It will be seen as walking because they didn’t “win” or didn’t like they way things were going.
Good job DSC. You spoke, they would not listen. Shake the dust (sand) from your shoes, but keep speaking the truth.
we grieve for the acute misery of those who have served in the FOREfront on these BIZARRE issues and found themsleves so entirely displaced. May they know that love and sumpathy and porayers are with them; we admire their fortitude and share their bereavement.
I can only say that I wonder which diocese will be next.
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/07/11/majority-of-south-carolina-deputies-walk-out-to-protest-convention-actions/
ENS interview with John Burwell+
Really? I’m thinking no one would notice what with all the other poop coming out of GC.
Prayers and thanks to the DSC delegation. May God surround them with his love, wisdom and mercy.
This is merely a repetition of what I’ve seen since 1976.
Good point A Senior Priest, although the seeds of it were sown earlier.
First when TEC was unable to summon the collective will to discipline +James Pike after his extraordinary and blatant public heresy in 1962-1965, and a few years later when John Shelby Spong was elected to the Executive Council of TEC in 1973.
1976 was in one sense no more than a logical out-play of these earlier defaults. A church that cannot agree on discipline of the most obvious heresy in its highest leaders is doomed to failure of a worse kind.
The statement says ‘monitor,’ but the two remaining deputies continue to vote on matters brought before the convention. This seems to take away the jolt of the deputation’s departure if SC is still participating in the General Convention (albeit it with only one lay deputy and one clergy deputy).
Andrew, we all know the vindictiveness by the PB when she thinks she has a legal loophole with which to attack any conservatives.
Andrew, perhaps. But the walk-out does seem to have attracted considerable attention in both religious and secular media.